Nghe An expands high-quality rice area

Area increases rapidly

In the spring crop of 2023, Hoa Thanh commune (Yen Thanh) planted more than 200 hectares of rice, of which TBR225 rice is the main variety, with an area of ​​118 hectares, accounting for 57.5%. Mr. Nguyen Cong Hong - Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee said: The whole commune has 90 hectares of linked production, including 40 hectares of seed rice and 50 hectares of commercial rice, linked with enterprises producing TBR225, HD11, HDT10 rice, with a purchase price of 6,100 VND/kg of fresh rice. The remaining areas, the commune focuses on restructuring towards productivity and quality, with varieties such as N97, VNR20, Thien Uu 8.

"Increasing the production area of ​​high-quality rice varieties and linking rice seed production has brought about high efficiency and economic value, while also being very convenient for consumption, saving the work of drying and preserving after harvest," said Mr. Nguyen Cong Hong.

High quality purebred rice variety QJ1 created by TH Group. Photo courtesy of Nghe An Newspaper

Every year, Yen Thanh district cultivates about 24,000 hectares of rice. Through the production seasons, the rice variety structure continues to change strongly towards focusing on producing high-quality, high-value rice with good resistance associated with product consumption linkage. In 2022, the area of ​​quality rice is more than 9,300 hectares/24,300 hectares, accounting for 38.32% of the area.

Mr. Nguyen Van Duong - Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee said: In recent years, many effective models in implementing cooperation, linking production, and linking product consumption for farmers have been formed. In 2022, the whole district has more than 4,000 hectares of rice production linked to purchasing commercial rice, 2.5 times higher than the same period last year. The district also built 46 rice production models with a total area of ​​nearly 2,830 hectares.

“In fact, although high-quality purebred rice varieties usually only have an average yield of 6.5 - 6.6 tons/ha, while hybrid rice can reach over 7 tons/ha, due to the good quality of the rice and the higher selling price of 10 - 15%, it still brings higher income to farmers.”

- Mr. Nguyen Van Duong - Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee shared -

The 2022 spring crop is not only the first crop in Hung Nguyen district to have an area of ​​high-quality rice exceeding the set plan, but also the first time that 18/18 communes and towns simultaneously deployed the construction and production of large fields. The area of ​​pure high-quality rice in the area reached 3,922 hectares out of a total of 5,180 hectares of spring rice in the district.

Provincial leaders inspect spring rice production in localities. Photo: Phu Huong

For many years, on her family's 4 sao of rice fields, Ms. Nguyen Thi Quy in Hamlet 6A, Hung Dao Commune has only grown high-quality rice. "This P6 rice is often affected by pests and diseases, especially rice blast disease, which is more or less severe every year. But I still use it for production because the rice is delicious and can be sold at a higher price," Ms. Quy shared.

Hung Nguyen district has also built 35 large-scale rice field models with a total area of ​​698 hectares; 1 model of 6 hectares of organic rice production in Chau Nhan commune. The large fields all use rice varieties that can adapt to different soil types, have good tolerance to intensive farming, good rice quality, long white, clear grains, soft, sticky rice, light aroma, rich, delicious taste, suitable for commodity production. According to the assessment, the average actual yield of the large fields reached 68.3 quintals/ha, the average revenue increased by 18.6% compared to mass production.

In addition, the district also continues to introduce a number of high-quality pure rice varieties into demonstration production to expand in the area. Ms. Phan Thi Giang - an expert from the district's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said: For many years, Hung Nguyen district has always focused on transforming the rice variety structure towards commodity production, expanding quality rice varieties, especially high-quality pure rice to build the Hung Nguyen rice brand. The district regularly allocates budget, creates favorable conditions, encourages localities to consolidate land, exchange plots, and build large fields to produce high-quality rice.

Many high-quality rice varieties bring good productivity and efficiency in Dien Chau district. Photo: Phu Huong

Intensive production of high quality rice

If in the past, in Nghe An's rice production, hybrid rice always dominated, then in recent years, in many localities in the province, there has been a gradual shift towards increasing the area of ​​quality rice varieties. It can be affirmed that this is an inevitable trend, when food production has met enough, even exceeded the demand; consumers gradually shifted to the trend of using quality, delicious products.

Nghe An has gradually reduced the area of ​​low-yield, poor-quality rice such as Nhi Uu 838, Nhi Uu 986... and gradually increased the hybrid and purebred rice varieties with good quality. If previously the hybrid rice area in the spring crop accounted for up to 60,000 hectares (over 60% of the total rice area), then in this year's spring crop, out of 91,000 hectares of rice, hybrid rice accounted for less than 40,000 hectares; it is noteworthy that the area of ​​quality rice (both hybrid and purebred) in the spring crop of 2023 is over 41,500 hectares.

Farmers in Yen Thanh district harvest rice. Photo: Phu Huong

According to Mr. Nguyen Tien Duc - Head of the Provincial Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection, Nghe An continues to support and quickly introduce rice varieties with both high yield and good rice quality; prioritize the development and expansion of the area of ​​high-quality rice varieties for commercial purposes to improve production efficiency; with key rice varieties such as VNR 20, TBR 225, Bac Thinh, Thien Uu 8, Thai Xuyen 111, VT 404, Long Huong 8117...

The State has had many policies to support and encourage the development of rice production, especially high-quality rice, such as policies to support new, high-yield, good-quality purebred rice varieties; support for purchasing unmanned rice transplanters and pesticide sprayers; support for land use right rental fees...

Provincial leaders and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development discussed with representatives of Dien Lien Commune Agricultural Service Cooperative (Dien Chau) on the issue of linking production and purchasing quality rice seeds. Photo: Phu Huong

Localities need to make good use of current policies as well as allocate local budgets to support and encourage the development of cooperation and linkage in production and product consumption; improve the operational efficiency of new-style agricultural cooperatives, acting as a “bridge” linking farmers with businesses in value chain production. At the same time, actively introduce products, call for and create favorable conditions for organizations and individuals to join in production and product consumption for the people.

“High-yield, high-quality rice varieties are often susceptible to pests and diseases and are sensitive to the weather, so localities, specialized sectors and people need to have synchronous technical solutions to ensure production safety; increase the use of organic fertilizers, only use pesticides in the list, and strictly follow technical processes in production,” Mr. Nguyen Tien Duc recommended./.