Vietnam: Growing lemongrass for high economic efficiency in Tan Phu Dong Island District, Tien Giang

Mr. Le Van Huong, former Chairman of the People's Committee of Tien Giang province, said that in the past, the land on Tan Phu Dong island was mainly cultivated with rice. Because the salt water here comes very early every year, so rice can only grow 1 crop/year, with low yield. Since 2008, Tien Giang province has decided to transform the agricultural structure, adapt to climate change and salinity intrusion so that Tan Phu Dong can escape poverty. The land for rice cultivation has gradually changed to shrimp farming and planted with drought-tolerant plants that require little fresh water such as lemongrass, soursop, etc. According to Mr. Nguyen Van Hai, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tan Phu Dong district, lemongrass here has good quality, large trees, high essential oil content, is favored by the domestic market, and at the same time exported to foreign countries. Lemongrass is drought tolerant, uses little water, has low fertilizer costs, low ...