Farmers in vegetable-growing areas are urgently harvesting their crops to escape the flood.

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Immediately after the heavy rain, the atmosphere in the vegetable fields of Quynh Mai ward became bustling with activity. Many households took advantage of the break in the rain to clear waterways, drain water, and pump water out of their fields. Farmers prioritized harvesting crops from areas that were ready for harvest before the water level rose again.

Mr. Ho Van Thu's family in Dai Dong Hamlet, Quynh Mai Ward, planted 4 sao (approximately 0.4 hectares) of green onions. The onion field is about 50 days old, with only about 10 days left until harvest. However, deep flooding threatens to damage the onions, so this morning he had to hire more than 10 people to urgently harvest the 2 sao (approximately 0.2 hectares) that are currently submerged. This early harvest is expected to reduce the yield by about 50%, while the onions have not yet reached the necessary maturity.

Not only scallions, but also large areas of sweet cabbage, corn, pumpkins, eggplants, and other short-term vegetables have been affected. Ms. Hoang Thi Hinh, from Quynh Mai ward, has 3 sao (approximately 0.3 hectares) of sweet cabbage that she planted about a month ago. When the water flooded the fields, the entire area faced the risk of ruin if it continued to be submerged. She and many other households had to quickly harvest the vegetables that could be sold, while also planning to replant on higher ground. "The continuous, heavy rain has crushed the young leaves of the vegetables. If they are submerged in water for too long, they will all rot," Ms. Hinh said.

According to Mr. Nguyen Canh Tuy, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Quynh Mai Ward, in anticipation of continued heavy rainfall, the Association has mobilized residents in low-lying areas to proactively clear waterways, drain water, and harvest crops at risk of flooding as soon as possible. A preliminary assessment revealed that over 3 hectares of vegetables in the area were severely flooded, mainly scallions, sweet cabbage, tomatoes, corn, and some pumpkins and gourds. For areas beyond salvage, residents were instructed to relocate to higher ground to facilitate early recovery after the rain.

Not only in Quynh Mai, this heavy rain is affecting a wide area of ​​agricultural production. According to Mr. Bui Xuan Truc, Head of the Economic Department of Quynh Anh commune, heavy rain from the afternoon of August 19th to the afternoon of August 20th caused flooding in 512.75 hectares of crops. Of these, green onions were most affected with 146 hectares, followed by vegetables with 142 hectares and corn with 102 hectares. These figures show the immense pressure to drain the water, save crops, and minimize damage, especially in low-lying areas with limited drainage capacity.

Low vegetable prices add to concerns about market access.

Heavy rains not only directly damaged crops but also exacerbated difficulties in finding markets for their produce. About 10 days ago, many areas of green onions in Quynh Mai and Quynh Anh were ready for harvest, but the sharp drop in prices and slow demand led many households to leave the onions in the fields, waiting for prices to improve. If the price had stabilized at that time, most of the crop would have been harvested and sold, allowing farmers to reduce some costs and avoid the risks posed by the weather.

However, while the onions were still in the fields, heavy and prolonged rains occurred, flooding the low-lying areas and causing extensive waterlogging. Instead of waiting for better prices to sell, farmers found themselves forced to sell under unfavorable conditions, both in terms of timing and price. The family of Mr. Nguyen Dinh Que, from Dai Dong Hamlet, Quynh Mai Ward, is an example. His family planted 20 sao (approximately 2,200 square meters) of green onions about two months ago, and the harvest was scheduled for 10 days prior.

However, right at harvest time, the price of onions plummeted, currently only around 3,000 VND/kg, while sales were very difficult. The low price prevented the family from harvesting the entire area as planned. At this price, Mr. Que estimates that each plot of land could result in a loss of about 6-7 million VND, and the money from selling the onions might not even cover the labor costs of harvesting.

Due to the extremely low prices, Mr. Que's family only managed to harvest 5 sao (approximately 0.5 hectares), while the remaining area was still in the fields. However, when heavy rains continued, the fields began to flood, putting the unharvested onions at risk of spoilage. Instead of waiting for better prices to minimize losses, the family was forced to mobilize additional workers and urgently harvest the remaining onions, trying to salvage as much as possible before the water completely submerged the crop.

Among the households forced to harvest onions prematurely to avoid flooding, Mr. Hoang Van Lai from Quynh Mai ward is in a similar situation. His family has more than 2 sao (approximately 2,000 square meters) of onions ready for harvest, but heavy rain forced him to harvest them early before they were mature enough. Harvesting prematurely reduces yield and quality, while the current price of onions is only about 5,000 VND/kg. Furthermore, because they had to harvest quickly to prevent the onions from being damaged by flooding, the family had to hire extra laborers, increasing costs. Therefore, the money earned from this onion crop is unlikely to cover the production costs.

Faced with widespread flooding of vegetable crops, local authorities and production organizations are actively working alongside farmers to minimize losses. Along with urging people to quickly harvest salvageable crops, local forces are being mobilized to clear waterways, pump out excess water, and facilitate rapid drainage. Connecting with traders and supporting the sale of vegetables is also a priority, especially given the sudden surge in demand as farmers are forced to harvest early.

This support aims not only to mitigate immediate damage but also to help farmers maintain production after the rains. For areas severely flooded and beyond recovery, people are guided to utilize higher ground to resume production, preventing land from being left fallow. From draining water and harvesting to supporting market access and restoring production, local forces are proactively working with farmers to respond to and reduce the impact of adverse weather conditions.