Golden apple snails destroy summer-autumn rice in Nam Dan with a density of 100 snails/m2

(Baonghean.vn) -The entire Nam Dan district has nearly 600 hectares of summer-autumn rice. However, due to the prolonged heat, in addition to doing everything to save the drought, farmers are struggling to deal with the golden apple snail problem that is harmful to rice.

People in Nam Anh commune go to the fields to catch and destroy golden apple snails that harm rice.

The situation of golden apple snails destroying rice occurs in almost all fields in Nam Dan district, but is mainly concentrated in low-lying fields such as Nam Xuan, Nam Anh, Xuan Hoa and Nam Giang communes.

Recorded in Nam Xuan commune fields, this situation occurs most severely in the fields of hamlets 3, 8, 9, 11 and 12. Because these fields are low and sunken, after harvesting the winter-spring rice crop, golden apple snails often reside and reproduce under canals and ditches with water, so the density of golden apple snails is currently very high, in some places up to 100 snails/m2.

In many rice fields in Nam Xuan commune, the density of golden apple snails is up to 100 snails/m2.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Tam, a resident in Hamlet 11, Nam Xuan Commune, is urgently catching golden apple snails in his rice field and said: “My family has 3 sao of rice, but this year there are a lot of golden apple snails. My wife and I have to go down to the field early in the morning and afternoon to catch snails or they will eat all the rice! Here (Hamlet 11, Nam Xuan Commune), there are many people working in many fields, so we can’t catch all the snails so we have to spray pesticides to prevent them.”

According to the reporter's records, currently using chemicals called VT-DAX (700WP), Boxer (15GR) to spray, Tru oc (700WP) to kill golden apple snails.

Golden apple snails gathered on the roadside in the rice fields of Xuan Hoa commune

Mr. Nguyen Huu Thuan, Head of the Nam Xuan Commune Agricultural Board, said: The entire Nam Xuan Commune currently has 300 hectares of summer-autumn rice planted (mainly direct sowing). The Commune Agricultural Board also inspected the fields and found that the situation of golden apple snails destroying rice is mainly concentrated in low-lying and lower areas. Accordingly, we encourage people to destroy golden apple snails by manual methods, catching them by hand and crushing them to death or burning them, and not to overuse chemical spraying because if the requirements are not met during the quarantine period, it will affect people's health.

Farmers in Xuan Hoa commune are also urgently going to the fields to catch and destroy snails, protecting over 350 hectares of rice seedlings and newly planted rice.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, Hamlet 5, Xuan Hoa Commune (Nam Dan) said: This year, her family has 6 sao of rice fields but it has been almost completely destroyed by golden apple snails. Because the seedlings are still young, the snails often bite the roots of the rice plants, causing the rice to die. Although golden apple snails appeared in the rice fields a few years ago, the density is not as high and widespread as this year."

People catch snails by hand

Ms. Truong Thi Thanh, Head of the Agriculture Department of Xuan Hoa Commune, said: “Currently, the entire area of ​​young seedlings and newly planted rice in 11 hamlets has been devastated by golden apple snails. People have also used all measures to overcome and save the rice. At the same time, the Commune Agriculture Department has directed the hamlet command boards to announce on the public address system recommendations on the use of pesticides so that people can use them to spray and prevent them in time.”

Mr. Nguyen Huu Thang, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nam Dan district, said: “We have also received information about the situation of golden apple snails destroying rice in some communes. Almost at the beginning of each crop season, after farmers sow rice seedlings and provide water for the rice, golden apple snails appear. He directed localities to advise farmers to deal with this situation through two methods: catch and burn or spray pesticides, and at the same time advise superiors to find more effective solutions.”

However, due to the recent hot weather, the rice fields have cracked, which creates favorable conditions for golden apple snails to live and reproduce under bird's feet, so the number of snails in the rice fields is currently very large. In addition, because the water is gradually returning to the rice fields, it creates more favorable conditions for snails to develop, especially at night and early morning.

Pham Dong