According to the provincial People's Committee, thanks to proactiveness in the prevention of saline intrusion and drought, right from the beginning of February this year, the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development cooperated with the Irrigation Work Investment and Construction Management Board No.10 under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to temporarily operate Cai Be sluice gate to prevent saltwater, keep freshwater, and protect production and domestic water in the area. The water supply in the province is stable.
However, because this year, the rainfall was low, and the saline intrusion was early, the cultivated area of the winter rice crop failed to meet the plan and rice yield was merely equal to 79 percent of that in the same period last year. The sowing of the winter-spring rice crop also did not reach the plan, decreasing 4,826 hectares. Currently, the winter rice crop has already been harvested, while the winter-spring rice crop is being harvested.
