There is only one taro crop per year in Thuan Chau. Farmers start planting taro after the Lunar New Year and harvest in early winter when the taro leaves wither. Each plant has a large tuber weighing 0.6-1 kg and the small tubers surrounding are usually used as seedlings for the next crop. The taro harvest season is from mid-October to the end of November.
In 2018, Thuan Chau taro was granted a collective trademark certificate by the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development included it in the list of Vietnam's precious genetic resources that need to be preserved and developed. In the district, there are over 50 hectares of native taro varieties restored with tissue culture and gene filtering technology. Cooperatives, cooperative groups and farmers have produced taro under a chain to improve quality and output. Professional agencies have organized training courses to guide farmers on how to plant, harvest and preserve taro, ensuring safety. Currently, Thuan Chau taro is available in major supermarkets nationwide.
Luong Quoc Huy, Director of Hung Thinh Cooperative in Muoi Noi commune, said as the only unit granted the right to use the Thuan Chau taro brand by the district, the cooperative has linked with more than 200 households in Nam Lau, Chieng Bom and Chieng Ly communes to grow taro under VietGAP standard. This year, the average yield is only 6-8 tonnes per hectare, but the selling price doubles compared to the previous year. The cooperative commits to purchasing taro from affiliated households at a price of 30,000-40,000 VND (1.22-1.63 USD) per kg.
To help farmers sell products, local authorities will continue to promote promotion and introduction of the product at fairs inside and outside the province and on e-commerce trading floors, while connecting with businesses to purchase taro. The district will attract investment in the trading and processing of taro and other agricultural products.
With the goal of building the taro brand into a key local agricultural product, Thuan Chau district is focusing on zoning off taro production areas, researching and transferring scientific and technical advances to improve productivity and product quality, meeting market needs.
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