Marigold grown in Sa Đéc city’s Tân Quy Đông Ward in the Mekong Delta province of Đồng Tháp. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Văn Trí

ĐỒNG THÁP — Đồng Tháp Province plans to sustainably develop flower and ornamental plant farming to improve growers’ incomes.

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province has 2,160ha under flowers and ornamental plants, with the latter accounting for 78 per cent, mostly in Sa Đéc and Cao Lãnh cities, and Lai Vung and Lấp Vò districts.

There are more than 1,200 types of flowers and ornamental plants, including various rose, marigold and chrysanthemum varieties.

Sa Đéc, the province’s largest rose growing area, has more than 200 varieties.

Nguyễn Phước Lộc, a farmer in its Tân Khánh Đông Commune, grows more than 130 varieties, including 30 indigenous ones.

He sells perennial climbing rose varieties for up to VNĐ10 million (US$400) a plant, he said.

He also sells rose seedlings and hosts tourists in his flower garden, he said.

The province has five co-operatives, three farmers’ clubhouses and more than 4,500 households that grow and sell flowers and ornamental plants.

Sa Đéc has established a centre that buys, packs and sells them at home and abroad.

Bùi Thanh Sơn, deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee, said areas have been zoned for growing flowers and ornamental plants and the annual revenues from them are worth VNĐ2.8 trillion ($115 million).

Sa Đéc grows flowers and ornamental plants on 946ha, he said.

It grows large quantities of chrysanthemum, including 200,000 pots during Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday, since the flower is in highly demand for decorating houses and public places.

The city has had a tradition of growing flowers for more than 100 years.

Many households growing flowers and ornamental plants also allow visitors who come to admire the gardens.

Nguyễn Phước Lộc, chairman of the Sa Đéc City Association of Ornamental Objects, said training courses in growing ornamental objects and activities to exchange growing experiences are organised.

“Many ornamental objects made by the province’s artisans have won top prizes at contests held in Đồng Tháp as well as other provinces and cities.”

Nguyễn Phước Thiện, vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said Đồng Tháp plans to develop flower and ornamental plant farming into an important sector as it restructures its agriculture.

This would help improve farmers’ incomes and the cultural and spiritual lives of local people, he added.

The province plans to increase the growing area to 3,500ha by 2025.

To achieve the target, its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will boost seedling production and select and import high-quality varieties for cultivation.

It will teach farmers advanced techniques such as using nets and polygreen houses and automatic irrigation and help them improve packing and post-harvest preservation.

It will zone growing areas based on the conditions in each locality, and develop linkages between various stakeholders in growing and selling flowers and ornamental plants to meet the requirements of domestic and export markets.

It will link up with research institutions and universities to develop new varieties that are of high quality and meet market requirements, and collaborate with the delta’s other provinces to develop areas for growing high-quality flowers and ornamental plants.

The province will organise the first Sa Đéc Flower-Ornamental Plant Festival from December 30.

The week-long event will honour farmers and seek to develop linkages between flower and ornamental plant farming and tourism. — VNS