According to statistics from the People's Committee of Nghia Ha commune, this locality currently has more than 100 households growing gladiolus with an area of 20 hectares. This is the place with the largest flower growing area in the Central region, and Nghia Ha's gladiolus is famous not only in Quang Ngai but also consumed in the Central provinces... Every Tet holiday, flower products from this commune are always "sold out", serving the needs of decorating altars and beautifying families.
Gladiolus growing in Nghia Ha has been a tradition for the locals for decades, providing a steady income during Tet. However, this year, the locals are facing a disastrous flower season as rains have continued for more than two months, causing serious damage to the flowers. The remaining flowers are also stunted, at risk of not blooming in time for the peak of Tet.
Ms. Bui Thi Kim Loan, a flower grower in Binh Dong village, shared: "The prolonged heavy rain has caused more than half of my flowers to die. Many flower patches are gone, with only a few plants remaining. The remaining flowers are also growing very poorly, making it difficult for them to bloom in time for Tet."
Similarly, Mr. Phan No, a flower grower with nearly 30 years of experience in Nghia Ha commune, is also worried when the flower situation is not very optimistic. "For each sao (500m2), I invest about 10 million VND in seeds, fertilizers... If the flowers grow well, after deducting expenses, I can earn 10 - 15 million VND. But now I just hope for nice sunny weather to save the remaining flowers, even though I know that failure is inevitable," Mr. No confided.
Nghia Ha gladiolus is famous for its superior quality and meticulous care by the people. Therefore, every Tet holiday, this product is always eagerly sought after. However, in the current situation, many households are having to switch to growing vegetables in January to compensate for some of the losses.
Mr. Nguyen Nhanh - Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Nghia Ha Commune, said: "Growing Tet flowers is a traditional occupation of the people of Nghia Ha Commune, with about 40 hectares of flower growing area, mainly gladiolus. However, more than 50% of the gladiolus area was severely damaged due to prolonged rain. The Farmers' Association is instructing people to remove flowers with rotten roots to prevent the spread, and actively take care of the remaining areas to save the flowers that can grow."
