Nghe An: Large areas of summer-autumn rice crops suffer from empty grains, resulting in complete crop failure.
(Baonghean.vn) - Nghe An province is still nearly two weeks away from the peak harvest of its summer-autumn rice crop, but in many areas, farmers are having to go to the fields to cut unripe rice to feed their cows. Thousands of hectares of rice have suffered from empty grains, and many areas have been completely lost.
In just a few districts such as Dien Chau, Nghi Loc, and Yen Thanh, approximately 3,000 hectares of rice varieties like Khang Dan, Bac Thom, Huong Bien 3, NA9, etc., that bloomed in mid-July suffered from empty grains, with many areas experiencing complete crop failure.
In addition, four other districts, namely Nam Dan, Thanh Chuong, Do Luong, and Hung Nguyen, are in a similar situation.
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| Since the beginning of August, Mr. Nguyen Nang Tu in Nam Xuan commune has been harvesting unripe rice to feed his cows. Photo: Phu Huong |
Mr. Nguyen Nang Tu from Nam Xuan commune, Nam Dan district, said: "In about a few dozen days, my family's 4 sao (approximately 0.4 hectares) of rice fields planted with Khang Dan variety will be ready for harvest, but I've already cut them for the cows to eat because the rice ears are dry and have no grains. I have to harvest them early for the cows to eat, because if I leave them for a few more days, even the cows won't be able to eat them because they're bitter."
In Nam Xuan commune, out of 324 hectares of summer-autumn rice, 30 hectares in hamlets 4, 5, and 6, planted 70 days ago, have yet to flower. The remaining area, which flowered between July 15th and 20th, also suffered heavy crop failure. Mr. Nguyen Huu Thuan, Head of the Agriculture Committee of Nam Xuan commune, said that 100 hectares were completely lost, and 150 hectares suffered damage ranging from 30% to 70% or more. For the past two weeks, many households have been harvesting rice to feed their cattle.
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| Many rice fields in Nghi Van commune (Nghi Loc district) are beautifully ripe, but the yield is only 70-90 kg/sao (1 sao = 360 square meters). Photo: Phu Huong |
Mr. Nguyen Van Khanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghi Van commune (Nghi Loc district), said: This year's summer-autumn rice crop in Nghi Van commune covered 593 hectares, using rice varieties such as Khang Dan, NA9, LRS9, VTR20… The entire commune has 480-490 hectares experiencing serious yield losses; many fields are beautifully golden yellow, but the rice grains are all shriveled. It is estimated that Nghi Van commune will complete the summer-autumn rice harvest around August 20th, but the yield will only reach 70-90 kg/sao (1 sao = 360 square meters). Furthermore, the rice grains are shriveled and of poor quality, only suitable for animal feed.
“Since June, the heatwave has caused over 26 hectares of rice to fail to flower, resulting in a total crop loss. After the rains in early July, the rice flowered but continued to face severe drought, so on most of the area, the rice panicles still have grains, but the percentage of empty grains is very high,” said Mr. Nguyen Van Khanh.
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| Officials from the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection inspect the damage to the summer-autumn rice crop in Dien Tho commune (Dien Chau district). Photo: Phu Huong |
As early as the end of June, Nghi Loc district lost 300 hectares of rice due to prolonged drought. Furthermore, 1,700 hectares of rice that were in the flowering stage between July 10th and 22nd also suffered severe crop failure. The rice plants were stunted, unable to develop panicles, and the rice ears withered and produced no grains.
Rice crops that flowered between July 10th and July 20th showed a relatively high percentage of empty grains, appearing in many rice varieties. The initial cause is attributed to this year's severe and prolonged heatwave lasting over 60 days, with extremely high temperatures at many times, especially during June and July, the period when rice plants form panicles and flower.
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| The summer-autumn rice crop is drying out, and the grains are empty. Photo: Phu Huong |
"However, in many areas, the rice plants bloomed after July 25th, when the weather was more favorable, but the rice panicles still couldn't bend. Currently, we are focusing on reviewing and evaluating all varieties and different blooming times to determine the objective and accurate causes of the widespread crop failure in the summer-autumn rice crop," said Mr. Nguyen Tien Duc.
