Nghe An: Converting more than 1,000 hectares of rice to other crops in summer-autumn production

This summer-autumn crop, Nghe An strives to achieve over 480 thousand tons of food. Accordingly, the whole province will plant 130,000 hectares of various crops, including 96,000 hectares of rice, 16,500 hectares of corn (of which 22,000 hectares of high-quality rice and about 18,000 hectares of hybrid rice), 1,200 hectares of peanuts, 4,000 hectares of beans, 3,500 hectares of sesame and 9,000 hectares of vegetables of all kinds.

Overview of the conference. Photo: Phu Huong

According to forecasts, production will face many difficulties and challenges due to natural disasters and pests, especially black-streaked dwarf disease on rice. Therefore, to ensure safety for the summer-autumn crop, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development recommends that localities should base on the spring rice harvest time, move the summer-autumn rice planting season as early as possible, and prioritize production safety.

Mr. Hoang Nghia Hieu - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development requested that localities need to have a seed structure for each specific region. Photo: Phu Huong

Units and localities also need to focus on preparing plans to combat drought and prevent pests and diseases for summer-autumn crops. The Department of Agriculture advocates reviewing and re-evaluating irrigation water sources to have effective conversion plans, planning to convert about 1,143.5 hectares of rice to other crops.

At the same time, the Department of Agriculture also recommends that localities must have plans to select specific varieties for 12,000 hectares of production areas that are flooded and have pests and diseases, especially white-backed planthoppers and black-striped dwarf disease.

Farmers in Hung Nguyen district harvest summer-autumn rice in 2017. Photo: Thanh Tam

Nghe An also advocates continuing to use high-yield, stable rice varieties that are less susceptible to pests and diseases than in previous crops, and expanding the area of ​​high-quality, short-term rice varieties. Bringing high-quality, high-yield rice varieties into cultivation; implementing effective solutions to ensure full-area, safe, and effective production in difficult areas.