Farmers in Nghe An are urgently working to salvage rice crops damaged by storms and strong winds.
In late April, as the spring rice crop in many areas of Nghe An province entered the ripening stage and was ready for harvest, successive thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds caused widespread lodging. In response, the authorities and local people are urgently implementing remedial measures and harvesting early to minimize losses.
Arriving in Hop Minh commune on the morning of April 30th, we observed that rice plants had been flattened in many fields; in some areas, rice ears with mature grains were deeply submerged in water. People were scrambling to "save the rice."
Ms. Tran Thi Tra (Hamlet 7, Hop Minh Commune) said: “My family cultivates 4 sao (approximately 0.4 hectares) of rice. When the rice grains were ripening, a storm hit, causing up to 80% of the plants to be flattened. We had to use banana fibers and straw ropes to tie 3-4 clumps of rice together in a tripod shape to help the plants stand temporarily.”
According to Ms. Tra, this year's spring rice crop is developing well, with an expected yield of 3.8–4 quintals per sao (approximately 1000 square meters). However, after the storm, the yield may decrease by 25–30%. In low-lying areas, the rice is deeply flooded, forcing many households to harvest manually.
Sharing a similar plight, Ms. Le Thi Lan (Hop Minh commune) said: “My family has 3 sao (approximately 0.3 hectares) of rice fields, all of which were flattened and submerged in water, making it impossible to replant. My husband and I had to use sickles to harvest them, resulting in a yield loss of over 50%.”
According to Mr. Dang Quang Hoang, Head of the Economic Department of Hop Minh Commune People's Committee, the entire commune planted over 1,900 hectares of spring rice. The storm from the night of April 28-29 caused many rice fields to be flattened. Currently, the local authorities are compiling damage statistics and directing villages to mobilize forces to help people prop up the rice plants, dredge irrigation canals to drain water, minimize damage, and organize early harvesting.
Not only in Hop Minh commune, but also in Quan Thanh commune, rice lodging is widespread. Mr. Tran Van Lam said: “My family has more than 3 sao (approximately 0.3 hectares) of rice, and over 90% of it has been lodged. So far, we have managed to prop up about 2 sao, and in the next 4-5 days, even though the rice is not fully ripe, my family will have to harvest it early to avoid a total loss.”
According to a representative from the Quan Thanh Commune People's Committee, this spring the entire commune planted over 1,200 hectares of rice. Due to the impact of thunderstorms and heavy rice ears, over 40 hectares were flattened. Local authorities have mobilized dozens of combine harvesters to serve the farmers, while also controlling service prices to prevent unreasonable price increases during the peak harvest season.
To minimize damage, the Nghe An Department of Agriculture and Environment advises people to urgently implement technical measures such as: draining water from the fields to keep the rice roots firm and prevent waterlogging; tying up fallen rice clumps to create ventilation and prevent rice panicles from touching the water; and harvesting early when about 85% of the grains on the panicle are ripe. After harvesting, it is necessary to clean the fields, dispose of straw and weeds to limit pests and diseases, and prepare well for the 2026 summer-autumn crop.
With the decisive intervention of the authorities and the proactive spirit of the people, localities are striving to overcome the consequences of storms and tornadoes, minimize damage, and protect the achievements of the spring crop production.
