A bountiful spring rice harvest.

(Baonghean) - To date, the entire province has harvested approximately 10,000 hectares of spring rice. Under the scorching sun, farmers in all localities are concentrating on the fields, accelerating the harvesting of the spring rice crop to ensure timely planting of the summer-autumn rice crop. Based on assessments in the fields, this spring crop has the highest yield and the most consistent harvest ever.

Farmers in Long Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district) are harvesting the spring rice crop.

As one of the localities that harvested the spring rice crop earliest, from May 10th, the atmosphere of spring rice harvesting began to liven up many fields in Yen Thanh. Under the scorching afternoon sun, sweat streamed down the faces of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hong (Dong Nga hamlet - Long Thanh commune), her eyes sparkling with joy. Having started harvesting on May 14th, she expects to harvest over one hectare of her family's rice field in just about 5 days, yielding nearly 78 quintals/hectare, the highest ever. “This year, my family planted over 8 sao (approximately 0.8 hectares) of Khang Dan 18 rice, and the rest are purebred varieties like SL9 and KB2. We have also prepared the land and seedlings, trying to finish planting the summer-autumn rice crop before June 10th, not later than that because Long Thanh is a low-lying area, frequently affected by floods, so we must finish harvesting in August to ensure safety.”

As a low-lying commune in Yen Thanh district, Long Thanh pays close attention to planting schedules to ensure safety in summer-autumn rice production. Hybrid rice varieties were planted before Tet (Lunar New Year), and by this time, the commune has harvested nearly 40% of its 577 hectares of spring rice. Mr. Nguyen Tien Sy, Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said: "We will finish harvesting around May 25th, and seedlings have also been sown. We are striving to complete the summer-autumn rice planting before June 5th-10th. This year's spring rice crop is bountiful; based on actual yield estimates, it is expected to reach 7.8 tons/ha, 3 quintals/ha higher than last year's spring crop."

Harvesting the spring rice crop in Yen Thanh.

This spring, Yen Thanh district planted 12,800 hectares of rice. To ensure the target for total food production, the district still allocated a large area to hybrid rice, while expanding the area of ​​high-yield, high-quality pure rice varieties such as TBR 225 and GS333, suitable for each specific region and soil type. Harvesting began on May 12th, and nearly 60% of the area has already been harvested. The head of the district's Agriculture Department, Mr. Nguyen Van Duong, stated: "This is the highest-yielding spring crop ever, with an estimated average yield of over 72 quintals/hectare across the district. This result is due to several factors. This year's production took place under complex weather conditions, with severe cold extending the rice growth period by 10-15 days, causing difficulties but also creating favorable conditions for the rice plants to accumulate sufficient nutrients, resulting in plump, firm grains and higher yields."

Despite the severe cold weather, some pests and diseases have emerged and caused damage, but thanks to good forecasting and control efforts, the damage has been negligible. Farmers have implemented proper and adequate care and fertilization procedures, suitable for each specific weather condition, ensuring sufficient nutrients for the rice plants to develop well. It is expected that Yen Thanh will finish harvesting before May 25th and sow the summer-autumn crop before June 5th. Currently, all communes have completed seedling planting, and recognizing that summer-autumn production will take place under complex weather conditions, especially in nearly 4,000 hectares of flood-prone areas, the district is focusing on accelerating the spring harvest. Nearly 30 combine harvesters are currently in operation, ensuring a quick and efficient spring harvest, with land preparation for summer-autumn planting occurring as soon as the harvest is completed.

In Do Luong, the spring rice harvest is also in full swing. Ms. Dao Thi Son from Hamlet 1, Nhan Son Commune, excitedly shared: "My family has 4 sao (approximately 0.4 hectares) of rice, planted with Kinh So Uu 1588 and AC5 varieties, all planted before Tet because this area is prone to flooding during the summer-autumn season. We started harvesting on May 16th, and now all 4 sao of rice have been harvested." According to the commune's announcement, on May 20th, the commune will pump water centrally, and we will prepare the land for planting immediately.” According to the Deputy Head of the District Agriculture Department, Mr. Le The Nhung, the 7,300 hectares of spring rice in Do Luong this season developed under unfavorable weather conditions. Rice blast disease affected over 100 hectares, stripping away all the leaves. In many places, farmers had to cut off the leaves and invest in care to help the rice plants recover. Similar to other localities, the cold weather slowed down the rice plant's growth and development by more than a week compared to normal, contributing to increased yield. In addition, sufficient water ensured the rice plants received enough water during growth and development, resulting in fuller, heavier grains. The average yield is expected to reach approximately 65-68 quintals/hectare (compared to 62 quintals/hectare in the 2013 spring crop).

According to the agricultural sector's assessment, this year's spring crop is a bumper harvest. Mr. Ho Ngoc Sy, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: Although the harvest is not yet complete in most localities, field assessments indicate an average yield of over 66 quintals/hectare, with virtually no areas experiencing a decrease in yield. Besides hybrid rice varieties, this spring's area planted with high-quality, high-yielding pure rice varieties has also expanded from 12,000 hectares (spring crop of 2013) to nearly 20,000 hectares. Learning from last year's spring crop, this year the agricultural sector has closely coordinated with the industry and trade sector in regulating water at hydropower plants, ensuring sufficient water for rice growth and development. Plant protection has also been emphasized, with timely forecasting and prediction. Therefore, even under favorable weather conditions for pest and disease outbreaks, we have been able to minimize the damage caused by pests and diseases.

To date, localities have harvested over 10,000 hectares of spring rice, with the peak harvesting period from May 25th to early June. Currently, farmers have also begun sowing seedlings, following the recommendations of the agricultural sector. As soon as the spring crop is harvested, they will immediately prepare the land for sowing and transplanting the summer-autumn rice crop, striving to complete transplanting before June 10-15. To ensure a successful summer-autumn crop, localities and people need to strictly follow the recommendations of the agricultural sector from now on. Immediately after harvesting the spring rice, good field sanitation must be carried out; instead of sowing rice directly, seedlings should be sown in concentrated areas for transplanting, making it easier to care for, monitor, and manage pests and diseases.

Invest in balanced intensive farming practices right from the seedling stage to ensure healthy seedling development and increased resistance to pests and diseases. After sowing, regularly inspect seedlings to detect damage from planthoppers and disease symptoms in the field. Spray insecticide on seedlings 2-3 days before transplanting if high densities of white-backed planthoppers are detected. Absolutely do not use seedlings from infected fields for transplanting. Simultaneously, repair field embankments and dikes, dredge canals, utilize return water, use water sparingly, and take advantage of early summer rains to replenish reservoirs and dams. Do not drain water completely during the spring rice harvest.

Phu Huong