Farmers go to the fields to replant spring rice

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh's family in Linh Long village, Thanh Linh commune (Thanh Chuong) had nearly 4 sao of spring rice that had died from the cold. Therefore, on the second day of Tet, she and her family members pulled up the surviving rice plants and replanted them in one plot, and plowed and sowed the rest.

"Spring crops are usually a sure thing, but there has never been a year as difficult as this year. We are very confused about how to overcome them. We don't know who will win or lose, but we just re-sow shorter-term rice for peace of mind," said Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh.

The creative way of Thanh Chuong people is to move the remaining rice to a plot to replant new varieties to ensure they bloom at the same time. Photo: Dinh Ha

Ms. Minh is just one of thousands of households in Thanh Chuong district that have to suffer from the cold wintering of spring rice. According to statistics from the Plant Protection Station, the whole district has over 320 hectares of dead rice. Concentrated mainly on transplanted rice, high-lying fields lacking water. Communes with large areas of dead rice are Dong Van, Cat Van, Thanh Tien, each commune has over 50 hectares; Thanh An, Thanh Luong, Thanh Linh each commune has about 20 hectares.

Faced with this situation, the district has issued many official dispatches and telegrams directing service sectors, communes and people to focus on overcoming it. Accordingly, for areas with small dead areas, pruning and care should be carried out, combined with spraying stimulants, conditioners, cold protection, soil improvement, and anti-poisoning products for rice such as PnacP, ET. If a lot of dead rice must be re-sown, use varieties with a growing period of less than 125 days...

People in Thanh Linh commune (Thanh Chuong) re-sow spring rice with short-term varieties. Photo: Dinh Ha

In fact, people have been pushing and gathering the living rice to one place before replanting or sowing another rice variety. According to Mr. Nguyen Trung Sy - Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Thanh Linh commune, this method must be followed because each type of seed has a different growth period. If using different seedlings, replanting in the middle of the dead rice field, the rice will not bloom at once, making it difficult to prevent pests and harvest. This is a good way, because in many places, people are impatient and find whatever seedlings they can find.

Thanks to the early direction of the district, the proactiveness of the service sector and the concern and dynamism of the people, the dead rice areas are gradually being overcome. According to the estimate, by the end of February, the work of care, intensive cultivation and protection will be basically completed. Along with overcoming the dead rice, people are also preparing to plant vegetables and industrial crops.

Spring crop is the main crop of the year, focusing on recovering dead rice right after Tet holiday is showing high determination. Although it is hard, with dynamism and hard work, it is hoped that the people of Thanh Chuong district will have a successful crop.