Farmers in Nghe An are urgently restoring vegetable production after flooding.
After several days of heavy rain, more than 400 hectares of vegetable crops in Quynh Mai ward and Quynh Anh commune were flooded and severely damaged. When the sun came out, farmers quickly cleaned up the fields, cleared drainage ditches, replanted, fertilized, and restored production. Along with the efforts of the people, the government and the farmers' association also promptly intervened, working alongside the farmers to help them stabilize production as soon as possible.
Efforts to save the vegetable crop.
In late August, the fields in Quynh Mai ward and Quynh Anh commune were bustling with the sounds of plows and tillers. After many days of flooding, the people were busy digging the soil, pulling weeds, and rebuilding trellises, urgently restoring production.
In the severely affected onion fields, farmers concentrated their efforts on uprooting the damaged plants, then preparing the soil, fertilizing, and replanting. Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai from Hai Lien village, Quynh Mai ward, shared: “If left as is, the plants would be stunted and the yield would be low. Therefore, I had to hire extra people to uproot the entire damaged area of onions, improve the soil, and replant. Although it's more work, after about 20 days, we still have new onions to sell, which partially compensates for the losses.”
With their vegetable crops completely destroyed, farmers are plowing and treating the soil with lime and microbial organic fertilizer to plant a new crop. Mr. Nguyen Van Tinh from Hamlet 6, Quynh Anh Commune, said: "My family has 3 sao (approximately 0.3 hectares) of vegetables, all completely ruined. As soon as the water receded, I hired 4 more laborers to prepare the land and plant another crop."
Meanwhile, in areas with minor flooding, farmers are clearing drainage ditches, loosening the soil crust, and spraying water to wash away mud clinging to the leaves, while also adding fertilizer to help the plants recover quickly. Many bitter gourd fields have had trellises erected, and leafy vegetables are being tilled and weeded to encourage new growth.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai from Quynh Mai ward, while tying up her bitter gourd trellis, said: “As soon as the sun came out, we went to the fields to drain the water, lightly till the soil, and apply organic fertilizer. Now we continue to prune damaged leaves, encourage the shoots to climb the trellis, apply balanced fertilizer, and spray pesticides to prevent pests and diseases. Doing it right now is very important; if we wait too long, the plants will weaken and easily rot at the roots.”
From rows of vegetables that have just turned green again, to trellises of bitter gourd that have been re-erected, or fields that are reviving after plowing, all of these show the determination of the farmers not to lose their entire vegetable crop.
In addition, the timely guidance of the local government and the support of the farmers' association helped farmers quickly restore production, minimize losses, and ensure productivity and income.
Support to ensure farmers don't miss the planting season.
Alongside the efforts of the local people, the local government and the farmers' association have also implemented many timely support measures. As soon as the water receded, agricultural officials were sent to the fields to survey the damage, guide remedial measures such as clearing drainage ditches, improving the soil, applying supplementary fertilizer, and preparing for the winter planting season.
Mr. Ho Xuan Huong, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Quynh Mai Ward, said: "We closely monitor the fields with the farmers, guiding them on how to remove damaged plants, improve the soil, and promptly supply seeds and fertilizers. The goal is to help farmers recover as quickly as possible and avoid missing the planting season."
In Quynh Anh commune, the Farmers' Association, in coordination with the Agricultural Supplies Joint Stock Company, provided an additional 5 tons of NPK fertilizer to support farmers in applying it as a base fertilizer for the new vegetable crop; at the same time, many households received advances of fertilizer and seeds to resume production.
Ms. Bui Thi Tinh from Hamlet 4, Quynh Anh Commune, expressed: "Many vegetable crops were damaged, but thanks to the support from the Farmers' Association and the government in providing fertilizers and new seeds, we have gained more motivation to revive production."
On the professional side, the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection promptly assessed the damage to the affected areas; dispatched staff to the field to provide technical guidance on caring for vegetable crops after flooding.
Mr. Phan Duy Hai, Deputy Head of the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, recommended: "After flooding, farmers need to pay special attention to soil improvement to prevent the outbreak of diseases; at the same time, increase the application of organic microbial fertilizers, supplement potassium, and spray biological products to help plants recover quickly and increase their resistance."
