Intercropping ginseng with pepper brings high income

Growers of ginseng intercropped with pepper in Phu Yen Province have earned high income this year as both plants are priced high.

Ginseng is planted in a pepper garden in Son Thanh Dong Commune, Tay Hoa District in Phu Yen Province. Photo: MHN.

Increased price

Pepper harvest is in full swing and the pepper prices have increased higher compared to the beginning of the year, making pepper growers in Son Thanh Dong Commune, Tay Hoa District in Phu Yen Province overjoyed.

“My family grows 1,000 pepper poles that yield around 1 ton. The price at the beginning of the crop was 70,000 VND/kg but now has increased to 80,000 VND/kg and the entire crop has been purchased,” said Phan Van Binh, a pepper grower in Son Thanh Dong Commune.

“Taking advantage of the sun, I have harvested and dried the pepper for selling,” he added.

Meanwhile, Phan Van Dung, who has a 2-hectare pepper farm in Son Thanh Dong Commune, said that his family could harvest up to 2 tons of dried pepper thanks to methodical investment.

“In the past few years, the price of pepper decreased so the family did not take proper care of the plant. Therefore, it produces less fruit and the yield decreases so we harvest only 1.5 tons of pepper this crop,” Dung said.

“Pepper growers are satisfied this year because the price of the plant has been continuously increasing, nearly doubling last year, but the output is low due to lack of proper care of the growers,” he added.

Huynh Thi Cuc, also from Son Thanh Dong Commune, has grown 3ha of pepper and harvested it for more than 3 years. On average, 1ha could grow nearly 1,000 pepper poles, but many could die from disease. From the initial number of 3,000, her garden now only has about 1,000 pepper poles.

“This year, thanks to drip irrigation and fertilizing, my pepper garden is lush, and the yield is about 1.5 kg /pole on average and even up to 2 kg/pole with proper investment. I have harvested and dried 1.5 tons of pepper that is sold at 80,000 VND/kg. A few years ago, pepper prices dropped to 25,000-30,000 VND/kg and the farmers only harvested at the beginning of the crop that yielded large seeds. However, pepper seeds become smaller towards the end of the crop and growers therefore suffer from heavy losses,” Cuc said.

According to many pepper growers in Son Thanh Dong Commune, pepper production has decreased sharply this year due to the narrowed area and low productivity that is caused by poor investment. However, the price has increased sharply compared to that of the previous year so many farmers have resumed the investment in pepper gardens.

Ginseng cultivation

Due to the lowered price of pepper last year, many local farmers have also planted ginseng in the pepper garden.

In order to have a source of income while waiting for the pepper to produce fruits, Huynh Van Thuc's family in Hoa Tan Dong Commune has cultivated ginseng on one hectare of their four hectares planting pepper.

Currently, his family could harvest from five to seven kilos of ginseng per day which could be sold at 60,000 VND/kg. Selling 2 quintals of ginseng every month, they could earn a pretty high income.

“Ginseng is harvested all year round and could be easily sold. Last month, I collected 3 quintals of ginseng and sold at 60,000 VND per kilo,” said

Bui Van Tien, who has also planted ginseng in his pepper garden.

“Planting ginseng is simple, only demands the investment in a watering system. I have set up a drip irrigation pipe that could wet the soil in four hours, enough to raise ginseng”, he added.

“I plan to look for seed varieties to expand the area of ginseng in the pepper garden next year. In addition to covering family expenses, the income from ginseng is also spent on fertilizers and maintenance of planting pepper, which is identified as the main long-term plant of our farm”.

According to Dao Van Roa, Deputy Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tay Hoa District, many pepper growers have switched to other fruits and short-term trees in recent years due to sharp decrease in pepper price which sometimes drops as low as 40,000 VND/kg.

“Some locals have switched to ginseng that could bring good income. Particularly, those who grow ginseng intercropped with pepper could earn high income as both of these plants are priced high this year”, he said.