Golden millet from heritage land

At this time of year, the harsh Central Vietnam sun seems to pour “golden honey” onto the heavy millet heads bending like fishhooks.

Quickly harvesting ripe millet and packing them into sacks, Ngo Van Nam from Khuong Ha 2 village (Bo Trach, Quang Tri), said, “This area along the Son river has the largest millet-growing area in the province. Just one millet crop a year, and local farmers can enjoy high incomes.”

Nearly a decade of establishing foundations

The Son river originates from Phong Nha Cave, located within Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stretching more than 35 kilometers, the river flows through pristine forests, passes the Phong Nha cave area, winds through lush rural landscapes, and eventually joins the Gianh river before reaching the sea.

The section of the Son River flowing through the former Hung Trach commune (now part of Bo Trach commune) is relatively flat, with large alluvial banks lining both sides. Every year, after seasonal floods, upstream waters deposit fertile sediment across these riverbanks, creating productive fields for vegetables and short-term crops.

Ngo Van Nam shared that his family was allocated more than two sao (over 1,000 square meters) of riverside land. For generations, people in the area rotated crops such as corn, peanuts, and mung beans. “Whatever plant we grow thrives because the soil is rich with alluvial sediment,” he said.

Roughly seven or eight years ago, someone introduced golden millet seeds, also known as foxtail millet, for trial cultivation on the alluvial land. The results were impressive. Millet adapted well, producing long heads, plump grains and high yields while requiring relatively simple cultivation techniques. As a result, people in this region gradually switched to growing millet.

“Now, farmers only plant corn on higher plots or narrow embankments for livestock feed. Most of the remaining land is used for millet farming. Little by little, this riverside stretch became the province’s largest millet-growing area,” said Nam.

Khuong Ha 2 village lies within the buffer zone of the heritage site and is considered to have strong potential for tourism linked to rural landscapes.

From the perspective of the village head, Vo Thi Mai, local households currently cultivate more than 10 hectares of millet. The cultivation period lasts around three months, similar to that of short-duration rice crops. Farmers usually sow seeds in January, and after a while, the fields turn golden and are ready for harvest.

The plants grow nearly as tall as a person, with heavy grain clusters forming curved heads resembling fox tails. The stems, leaves, and mature grain heads all take on soft golden hues. During harvest season, the fields resemble a vast, shimmering golden carpet that can become a valuable attraction if managed well.

Joy from golden harvests

Residents of Khuong Ha said millet is easy to grow, resistant to pests, requires low investment, and delivers high economic returns. However, cultivation still requires considerable labor, especially for thinning and weeding. Harvesting is entirely manual, making it labor-intensive.

According to Nguyen Thi Xuan from Khuong Ha 2 village, harvesting millet is a meticulous process. Farmers use knives or sickles to cut each millet head by hand. The grain is then separated by beating and trampling the heads, similar to threshing rice. Afterward, traditional bamboo trays and sieves are used to separate full grains from lighter material. Once dried in the sun for two or three days, depending on weather conditions, the millet can be stored or sold to traders.

“With prices around VND 30,000 per kilogram and yields exceeding 200 kilograms per sao this year, each sao of millet can generate VND 5 - 6 million per crop. Compared with traditional crops like corn or peanuts, millet brings roughly double the economic return and is easier to cultivate,” she said.

“Each hectare of millet can generate VND 100 - 120 million in income. It has become a stable source of revenue for riverside households. In recent years, rising market demand has encouraged farmers in Hung Trach, now Bo Trach commune, to gradually expand cultivation,” said the Khuong Ha 2 village head.

Vo Thi Mai said millet-growing areas across Khuong Ha 1, 2, 3, and 4 villages now total around 27 hectares, with Khuong Ha 2 accounting for the largest share. For the next crop, the village plans to encourage farmers to consolidate adjacent plots into larger cultivation areas and create more convenient access roads for harvesting.

“We not only see millet as a key agricultural crop for riverside communities, but also recognize its tourism potential. During harvest season, the brilliant golden fields under the early summer sun have become popular spots for sightseeing, check-ins, and photography among visitors touring the Phong Nha - Ke Bang heritage region,” Mai said.

$ 1 = VND 26,367 - Source: Vietcombank.