In recent days, farmers in the Mekong Delta have been flexibly sowing the winter-spring rice crop early to avoid drought and saltwater intrusion at the end of the rice crop. Not only using high-quality rice varieties, but the percentage of farmers using certified rice varieties has also increased rapidly. These are important turning points in improving the quality of rice to enhance the value of Vietnamese rice in the international market.
At the end of the year, the weather in the South has started getting cold. This is also the time when the water in the fields downstream began to recede. Many farmers along the National Highway 61C, which connects Hau Giang and Can Tho provinces, are rushing to plow the soil to sow the winter-spring rice crop.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ca Mau Province, there are about 14,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice in the area waiting for the harvest. Of these, the largest areas of summer-autumn rice are in Tran Van Thoi District with 13,260 hectares.
During these days, farmers in some provinces in the Mekong Delta have started to harvest early winter-autumn rice with the joy of a bumper crop and high prices.
Entering August, the export prices of rice in Thailand and India both increased. However, Vietnam is the country seeing bright colors in rice exports. According to rice experts, with increasing rice export volume and value, Vietnam will pass Thailand to become the world’s largest rice exporter this year. The current matter is to build and solidify the Vietnamese rice brand in the market.
By actively applying measures to fight against saltwater intrusion and drought, farmers in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang have enjoyed a good harvest of winter-spring rice with the productivity reaching 7.4-7.6 hectares, around 0.1-0.3 tons per hectare higher than the previous year.
On the last days of February, farmers in the Mekong Delta have entered the peak harvest season of the winter-summer rice crop. Despite the impacts of saltwater intrusion and drought on coastal areas, most farmers have enjoyed a bumper crop and the price of paddy has also increased compared to at the beginning of the crop.
Provinces in the Mekong Delta are entering the harvest season of the winter-spring rice crop, but the export of rice might be affected by the Chinese market due to outbreaks of an acute respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19). Amid such context, diversifying export market is considered as an urgent solution for the Vietnamese rice.
Toiling and moiling have been attached to the image of rice farmers for a very long time. However, nowadays, modern farmers do not have to wade in the rice fields to produce rice but use unmanned farming equipment and mechanization. Rice cultivation technology helps to protect the environment, improve productivity and quality of rice.
