Minimize the conversion of land for rice cultivation
According to the Decree, the State budget will support 70% of the cost of fertilizers and pesticides when rice production is damaged by over 70%; the support level is 50% when rice production is damaged by 30-70%. At the same time, the State budget will also support 70% of the cost of reclaiming and converting unused land into rice land or converting other rice land into specialized rice land; the cost level will be determined by the People's Committee of the province or centrally-run city. 100% support for rice seeds in the first year for production on newly reclaimed rice land. 70% support for rice seeds in the first year for production on other rice land converted into specialized rice land. In addition, priority will be given to supporting rice production insurance costs according to regulations.
The Decree also stipulates budget support for localities producing rice. For the years in the period of stabilizing local budgets from 2012-2015, in addition to support from the State budget according to current regulations, the central budget will also provide targeted additional support for local budgets for rice production. Specifically, support of VND 500,000/ha/year for land specializing in wet rice cultivation; support of VND 100,000/ha/year for other rice land except for upland rice land that is spontaneously expanded without following the planning or land use plan for rice cultivation.
The Decree clearly states that it is necessary to limit the conversion of land used for rice cultivation to non-agricultural purposes; encourage the reclamation to expand the area of rice cultivation land, and convert other rice land into land used for rice cultivation.
The conversion of land use purpose for specialized rice cultivation must meet three conditions: be consistent with the approved land use planning and plan and be permitted by the competent State agency to convert the land use purpose; have a plan for maximum land savings, shown in the overall project description approved by the competent State agency; organizations and individuals assigned or leased land by the State for non-agricultural use from land specialized in rice cultivation according to regulations must have a plan for using the topsoil and compensating for the area of land specialized in rice cultivation lost due to conversion of land use purpose according to regulations.
The Decree also specifically stipulates the responsibilities of users of rice-growing land. Accordingly, users of rice-growing land must use it for the right purpose according to the planning and plan for rice-growing land use approved by competent authorities; use it economically, not leave it fallow, not pollute or degrade the land. It is strictly forbidden to do acts such as polluting, degrading, or distorting the land surface, leading to the inability to grow rice; leaving land dedicated to wet rice cultivation fallow for 12 months or more and other rice-growing land for 2 years or more, not due to force majeure./.
According to VNA
