A bountiful golden harvest season in the rice-growing region.
(Baonghean) - Visiting Yen Thanh these days, the atmosphere of harvest season is bustling throughout the villages and hamlets. In the fields, farmers are busily harvesting the spring rice crop, while also preparing the land for the summer-autumn crop.
THE JOY OF A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST
From early morning, the fields of Hamlet 3, Hoa Thanh Commune, Yen Thanh District, resounded with the sounds of combine harvesters. Mr. Phan Dung from Hamlet 5, Hoa Thanh Commune, shared: "This spring, although the weather wasn't very favorable, thanks to proper care and cultivation, the rice plants developed well and yielded a fairly high harvest. My family cultivates 5 sao (approximately 0.5 hectares) of rice fields, mainly using the purebred TBR 225 variety, achieving 3.5 quintals per sao. This variety has good quality rice and high economic value. The market price for the purebred TBR 225 variety is 7,000 VND/kg, while the hybrid variety only fetches 5,000 VND/kg."
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, an agricultural official in Hoa Thanh commune, said: "The entire commune planted over 240 hectares, of which 70% was planted with the TBR 225 variety, and the remaining area used hybrid varieties. Because farmers followed the correct intensive farming procedures, from sowing seedlings and planting schedules to caring for and controlling pests and diseases, Hoa Thanh had a bumper crop in the spring, with an estimated yield of nearly 70 quintals/hectare."
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| Rice harvesting machine in Hoa Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district). Photo: VT |
To proactively speed up the process, the commune has hired 14 combine harvesters and deployed them across the fields, with harvesting expected to be completed in about 7-10 days. In addition, many communes have planted hybrid rice varieties with outstanding yields, such as Lien Thanh commune with a yield of 76 quintals/hectare, Tho Thanh with nearly 75 quintals/hectare, etc.
This spring, Yen Thanh district planted over 13,500 hectares of rice, and farmers began harvesting on May 1st. The district mobilized over 100 harvesting machines of various types to speed up the harvesting process. It is expected that Yen Thanh will complete the spring rice harvest by May 15th. According to assessments, this year's spring rice crop in the district achieved an average yield of 72 quintals/hectare.
One of the reasons for this year's successful spring crop is the farmers' strict adherence to the agricultural calendar. In addition, the focus has been on orienting crop varieties towards high yields and quality to meet market demands. The use of high-quality rice varieties has been prioritized, with a preference for or avoidance of varieties susceptible to pests. The district has focused on developing high-quality rice cultivation areas.
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| A bountiful rice harvest in Yen Thanh. Photo: Hoang Ha |
Yen Thanh also focused on effectively investigating, detecting, and accurately forecasting the emergence of rice pests and diseases to provide recommendations and guidance for effective control. Regarding irrigation, from the beginning of the season, forces were mobilized to dredge and clear canals throughout the district, with a plan for scientific water distribution, thorough water conservation in areas at the end of canals, around reservoirs and pumping stations, and proactive measures to cope with drought.
In addition, Yen Thanh district continues to collaborate with companies such as TH Group; Vinh Hoa Co., Ltd., Nghe An Agricultural Materials Joint Stock Company; Central Seed Company, Thai Binh Seed Company and other businesses to organize the production of over 1,200 rice seeds, raw rice, and commercial rice under contracts signed between cooperatives and businesses.
HARVEST AND PREPARE THE LAND IMMEDIATELY.
In Hop Thanh commune, immediately after harvesting the spring rice crop, farmers are actively preparing the land for planting seedlings for the summer-autumn crop. Ms. Nguyen Thi Linh from Hop Thanh commune said: "My family has finished harvesting 4 sao (approximately 0.4 hectares) of rice, and a week before that we started planting seedlings. Besides using high-quality seeds, we prepare the land and sow the seedlings according to the correct technical procedures. For example, the seedling planting area is sheltered from the wind, high and dry, and convenient for irrigation."
This year, Hop Thanh commune planted rice on over 270 hectares. Currently, the commune has delivered over 30 tons of seeds to farmers so they can plant in time. As of now, farmers in Hop Thanh commune have harvested over 80% of their rice crop. They are immediately preparing the land after harvesting to start the summer-autumn crop. The commune has directed villages to mobilize resources to dredge and clear irrigation canals to ensure water supply for the summer-autumn crop.
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| Farmers in Yen Thanh district are busy preparing the land for the summer-autumn crop. Photo: VT |
This year's summer-autumn crop season in Yen Thanh district will involve planting rice on over 12,500 hectares. Furthermore, based on the specific conditions of each commune and field, suitable varieties will be selected from among those approved by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for inclusion in the crop structure. These include key varieties such as Thien Uu 8, Song Lam 9, and Vat Tu NA 6 Bac Thom...
The Yen Thanh District Department of Agriculture is disseminating information and advising farmers to harvest the spring rice crop quickly and efficiently, preparing the land immediately after harvesting, and retaining water in the fields to combat drought during the summer-autumn season.
The District Department of Agriculture advises farmers to buy good quality seeds from reputable sources before sowing seedlings. Seed treatment is crucial to eliminate seed diseases from the outset. It is recommended to sow 1 kg of rice seeds per 8-10 m².2seedling soil.
The district aims to sow all rice varieties by May 10th, and by around May 20th, sow and transplant rice in flood-prone areas covering over 3,000 hectares, concentrated in the communes of Long Thanh, Nhan Thanh, Vinh Thanh, Bao Thanh, etc.; It will also intensify agricultural extension activities and transfer new technical advancements to increase productivity, quality, reduce costs, and improve economic efficiency; and will discourage the use of direct seeding in the summer-autumn crop.
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| Farmers in Yen Thanh district harvest their spring crop. Photo: VT |
During the crop production season, the district directed the agricultural service sector to prepare sufficient agricultural supplies. For example, the Yen Thanh Agricultural Supplies Station has already stockpiled over 100 tons of seeds and nearly 3,000 tons of NPK and nitrogen fertilizers, meeting production needs, and simultaneously implementing support policies for farmers such as providing NPK fertilizer loans on a deferred payment basis.
Right from the start of the summer-autumn crop season, the district proactively inspected, dredged, and maintained the main canals and irrigation channels to maximize water utilization and prevent water loss. Simultaneously, they prepared backup pumps to promptly address drought-affected areas when needed, and implemented rotational irrigation measures.
For reservoirs and dams that have run out of water, the district is coordinating with irrigation units to implement solutions such as using mobile pumps to pump water from ponds, lakes, and streams to irrigate rice crops, reserving reservoir water for the summer-autumn rice flowering stage. The goal is to ensure a successful summer-autumn rice crop.
