Farmers harvest aloe vera in Ninh Thuận Province. – VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thành

NINH THUẬN – Farmers in the south-central province of Ninh Thuận are getting high aloe vera yields and also prices.

The country’s driest province has sandy soil and hot weather suitable for growing the plant, whose leaves are in high demand for making beverages, cosmetics and herbal remedies.

Traders and companies are buying aloe vera at the farm at VNĐ2,200 - 2,800 (0.09 - 0.1 US cent) a kilogramme, twice the prices they paid earlier this year.

Nguyễn Văn Quang, who has a 2,500sq.m field in Phan Rang - Tháp Chàm City’s Văn Hải Ward, said he harvests some 15 tonnes of aloe vera leaves a month to earn more than VNĐ12 million ($510).

With the favourable weather and sufficient irrigation, the plant grows well and has high yields of more than six tonnes of leaves per 1,000sq.m, he said.

The entire harvest is bought immediately by traders. 

Trương Văn Quân, a trader, said he buys 20 tonnes of leaves a day to sell in southern provinces and cities.

The hot weather means the demand for the leaves for making beverage is high, he said.

The national forecast is for continued hot weather, and so demand for the leaves is expected to increase, according to traders.

Nguyễn Thị Kim Hân, chairwoman of the Văn Hải Ward Farmers Association, said the high prices are helping farmers recover after COVID-19.

Aloe vera is easy to grow, has a short gestation period, costs little to grow, and requires less water, she said.

Farmers need around VNĐ10 million ($430) to farm 1,000sq.m, and the plant begins to yield after eight months, with the harvest being five to seven tonnes of leaves per 1,000sq.m a month for two to five years.

The province has more than 350ha under aloe vera, mostly in Phan Rang – Tháp Chàm City and the districts of Ninh Phước, Ninh Sơn and Thuận Bắc, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Farmers earn VNĐ300 - 600 million ($12,800 - 25,700) per hectare per year, it said.

Aloe vera is one of the province’s specifically identified products.

The department teaches farmers growing techniques and encourages them to adopt Vietnamese good agricultural practices (VietGAP) standards.

Linkage

The province is creating conditions for farmers to set up aloe vera co-operatives and co-operative groups and link up with companies.

In Thuận Bắc District, this model has seen 35 households in Bắc Sơn Commune link up with the local Cánh Đồng Việt Food Joint Stock Company to earn high incomes.

They are growing 20ha of clean aloe vera by using advanced farming techniques.

Man Minh, head of Xóm Bằng village, said previously local people used to grow vegetables and other crops but efficiency was not high because of a shortage of water.

After the model was implemented, the company invested in an irrigation system, provided efficient irrigation technology and bought from farmers, he said.

“The income from aloe vera is four times that of the crops grown previously.”

The village and the company plan to increase the area under aloe vera to 50ha. 

The latter exports aloe vera products to 20 markets, including Japan, South Korea, the EU, the US, and the Middle East. – VNS