The unsubstantiated rumor that local corn growers and peddlers use harmful Chinese-made chemicals and ‘techniques’ to considerably boost the growth and reduce the boiling time of corn has struck a devastating blow to honest, poor corn growers and peddlers nationwide.

The rumor, which has spread like wild fire over the past few months, suggests that local corn farmers stealthily spray toxic, cancer-causing Chinese chemicals over their corn fields to get more lucrative crops, while corn peddlers boil their corn with batteries, sulphur or lead and sprinkle them with a harmful Chinese-made tenderizer to reduce cooking time and give them a more scrumptious look. There are also rumors that corn peddled on the streets is even sprayed with a special Chinese chemical which makes them invitingly edible without being cooked.

Bewildered locals have since boycotted boiled corn, a traditional, long-standing favorite snack. Few people buy corn now, though its price has dropped by half, from VND3,000 (15 US cents) to 1,000 or 1,500 each.

According to Dan Viet, leaders of agricultural departments in the affected provinces, including southern Dong Thap, Vinh Long and central Quang Nam have launched inspections on corn farmers and peddlers and concluded that the rumors are entirely unfounded.

A devastating blow

The vicious, widespread corn rumors have plunged corn growers and peddlers nationwide into horrific distress and financial hardship.

More than 300 corn peddlers on Hanoi’s Dong Bat corn peddling alley have suffered terribly over the past few months, for example.

These migrant peddlers rent tiny, shabby rooms for shelter and cook corn and sweet potatoes, which is a meticulous, hygienic process.

Several families who have peddled corn for three generations now face the grim possibility of returning to their poverty-stricken hometowns or switching to another trade.

“Never have people turned their backs on boiled corn like this. Now my husband and I can only sell 10-20 fruits a day, compared to 100 or 200 previously,” sighed Nguyen Thi Chuc, who has been a corn peddler for six years.

The couple used to earn some VND200,000-300,000 ($10-15) in profits a day, and could save some to provide for their two young kids back home. Now that their sales are terribly poor, they can hardly sell anything on bad days.

Nguyen Van Diep, another corn peddler whose wife suffers from lung cancer, is planning to return to his hometown, as he can hardly support his family now with a mere VND20,000 ($1) a day.

Over 30 peddlers here have switched to other trades, while the rest are clinging to a glimmer of hope that people will finally enjoy boiled corn again.

“Honestly speaking, we ourselves have never seen sulphur or tenderizer or whatever, let alone cook our corn with it,” Chuc shared.

According to Pham Thi Van, a 20-year corn peddler, corn and sweet potatoes are among the most healthy natural foods.

“I can’t believe that the malicious rumors, which began in Ho Chi Minh City, have dealt us honest peddlers such a devastating blow,” Van lamented.

These days, people in the alley almost invariably eat the corn which they fail to sell instead of rice.

“We certainly don't put toxic substances into our corn, which we eat every day, to poison ourselves,” Van said in frustration.

Pham Thi Lan’s six-member, three-generation family, which still cooks corn every morning, said they would keep on with the trade as long as possible until the day their names are cleared.

Prevalence of Chinese-made chemicals, products

The corn rumors have added fuel to the fire, as local consumers are increasingly shocked to learn that many products imported from China contain toxic, cancer-causing chemicals.

Chinese fruits such as apples, pears and grapes are ‘bathed’ in chemicals, giving them a tempting look and taste and making them decay-free for several months.

Chinese food, including made-from-rubber eggs, squid, powdered milk, discarded chicken and pork from ill pigs, as well as Chinese clothes and toys containing cancer-related substances, also pose serious health hazards to local consumers.

In addition, an increasing number of small-scale local producers and peddlers are adding easily accessible Chinese-made substances into such food as bean sprouts, fish sauce, spices, papayas and tomatoes. They might earn more profits but they are definitely losing consumers’ trust.