Ky Son: Massive rice deaths threaten food security

(Baonghean.vn) - Upland rice contributes significantly to ensuring food security for ethnic minorities in the mountainous district of Ky Son. This year's upland rice season, many areas are at risk of total loss.

More than 1 hectare of upland rice of Ms. Cut Me Anh's family in Hin Pen village, Bao Nam commune is in a good growth stage, but for more than a week now, the rice has turned yellow and gradually died. With this area, in previous seasons, Ms. Anh's family had 1-1.5 tons of rice, contributing to feeding her family of 5.

This year, the entire rice field is at risk of being lost, making Ms. Anh’s family extremely worried. Ms. Anh shared: “Not long ago, when we weeded the field for the second time, we saw the rice plants turning yellow and dying until now. If the rice continues to die like this, our villagers will lose the entire crop this year.”

According to the people of Hin Pen village, Bao Nam commune, before dying, the upland rice turned yellow, the leaves drooped and dried up. Photo: Chi Cuong

As for Mr. Ven Pho Lanh's family, Thau Di village, Bao Nam commune, the area of ​​dead rice is up to 0.75 hectares. He said: "In recent days, our family's upland rice has been dying gradually, and we don't know the cause. When we pull up the rice plants, they are normal inside, with no signs of disease or pests."

HCurrently, there are no specific statistics on the area of ​​​​dead upland rice, however, the situation of dead rice is increasing and spreading rapidly. Backward farming practices, mainly depending on natural conditions, and not applying scientific and technical advances to upland production, make the work of preventing and controlling plant diseases very difficult.

According to information from Bao Nam commune authorities, 10/10 villages in the commune have rice fields that have died. Photo: Lu Phu

Mr. Ven Van Bich, Village Chief, Hin Pen Village, Bao Nam Commune, said: "Every household in the village cultivates rice, and the rice has yellow leaves and died in 39 households. If the rice dies like this, I'm afraid there won't be new rice to worship the family's ghosts."

Upland rice is the main food crop of farmers in the remote district of Ky Son. In the 2017 upland rice season, farmers in Bao Nam commune planted 650 hectares of upland rice, accounting for 10% of the upland rice area in the entire district.

However, this year the weather was complicated, at the stage when the rice was standing and preparing to flower, pests spread, damaging and killing many rice fields. According to statistics from the Bao Nam commune government, 10/10 villages had rice fields that died.

Rice plants died of unknown causes. Photo: Chi Cuong

According to Mr. Vo Duy An - Head of Plant Protection Station of Ky Son district: After receiving the report from Bao Nam commune authorities, the unit sent specialized staff to verify and investigate the cause.

“Unable to determine the exact cause, we quickly reported to the provincial authorities and took samples of the dead rice for testing. We hope that the authorities will soon intervene to help prevent the rice from dying and reduce damage to the people.”

Lu Phu - Chi Cuong