China News Service, Hainan, Qionghai, March 14 (Huang Yi) The purchase price of Hainan betel nut fruit hit a record high in 2020. Although the price is still at a high level in the end of picking, the annual income of Hainan betel nut growers has doubled.
"I have grown betel nuts for more than 20 years and have never seen such a market in 2020!" Wang Huaijun, a betel nut grower in Lingwei Village, Lingkou Town, Qionghai City, Hainan Province, told reporters recently that the highest purchase price for betel nuts in 2020 is nearly 24 yuan per catty ( Renminbi, the same below). Last year, he had more than 10,000 betel nuts with fruit, and his net profit was about 1.5 million yuan, three times that of 2019.
More than 95% of betel nuts in China are grown in Hainan.
According to Chen Shugui, deputy general manager of Hainan Duoyuan Betel Nut Industry Development Co., Ltd., who has compiled long-term betel nut industry data, the average purchase price of betel nut fruits in Hainan Province from 2016 to 2018 was about 89 yuan per catty; in 2019, it was as low as 4 yuan per catty; 2020 It rose to a super high level every year, and the average price reached 18 yuan per catty.
At present, Hainan has only low-quality betel nuts to pick, but the price has reached 13 yuan per catty.
When it comes to prices, many farmers are smiling.
Zhang Xiyong, a grower of Dongsheng Farm in Qionghai, has planted more than 5,000 betel nuts. His income in previous years was only more than 100,000 yuan, but in 2020, he will have more than 300,000 yuan.
With this money, he helped his son buy a house in the county seat.
Betel nut has become the "rich tree" for more than 2.3 million farmers in Hainan. Not only growers make money, but also attract many villagers to find jobs. Pickers earn two to three hundred yuan a day, and one person can earn 50,000 to 60,000 yuan each year in the picking season.
Why is the price of betel nut soaring?
Qin Weiquan, chief expert of the betel nut technology innovation team of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, analyzed that the drought in 2020 will reduce the production of betel nuts, and the deep processing enterprises of betel nut are fiercely competing for raw materials. The imbalance of market supply and demand is the main reason for the price increase of betel nuts.
In recent years, due to the relatively good price of betel nut, the betel nut industry has become the tropical crop with the largest output value in Hainan Province.
Farmers are highly motivated to expand their new land or replant their old orchards, and the supply of betel nut seedlings is in short supply in some areas of Hainan.
Wang Huaijun said that this year he plans to plant another 100 acres of betel nut, and the price of betel nut seedlings on his own plantation has risen from more than 2 yuan per plant in 2019 to more than 6 yuan.
"Betel nuts will only be produced five to six years after the start of production. It is difficult for farmers to predict how the future price trend will change." Chen Shugui reminded farmers to be cautious in expanding their crops.
Qin Weiquan said that prices that are too high or too low are not conducive to the sustainable development of the industry. The soaring purchase price of raw materials will hit small betel nut deep processing enterprises and lead to monopoly. In addition, the current production of betel nut seedlings lacks strict supervision and standard breeding technology system. It is common for farmers to ignore the spread of seedling diseases. Blindly planting betel nuts in large areas can easily cause the occurrence and spread of pests and diseases. For this reason, he appealed that it is necessary to properly regulate the price of betel nut and set up special funds to control the pests of betel nut. (Finish)