Nghe An farmers stick to fields and seas from the beginning of the year

Farmers hurry to the field

In the first days of the year, in most localities in the province, from the plains to the mountainous districts, farmers went to the fields early to prepare the land and sow seeds to prepare for the spring crop of 2025.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien in Nghia Binh commune (Nghia Dan) said that this spring, her family planted 3.5 sao of rice. This is the main crop of the year, so the family proactively bought lime powder, treated the fields, and rented land preparation machines from the end of 2024. In the first days of the new year 2025, the family started sowing rice seedlings, at the same time, preparing materials, and planting according to the crop schedule.

Mr. Lam Van Thang - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghia Dan district said: "From mid-December 2024, the district directed irrigation units to regulate production water from lakes and dams to serve people in land preparation and sowing. Accordingly, by early 2025, almost the entire area of ​​land for spring rice production has been prepared by mechanization. In the spring crop of 2025, Nghia Dan district will plant 3,500 hectares, of which 2,800 hectares will be hybrid rice, the rest will be pure rice varieties."

In the fields of Dien Chau, Yen Thanh, Do Luong districts, the atmosphere of the first production of the new year is no less bustling. In addition to focusing on land preparation and sowing seeds to carry out spring crop planting according to the crop calendar, the agricultural sector also directed localities to advise farmers to harvest winter crops at harvest time; focus on taking care of vegetable areas, and step up care, disease prevention and control for livestock.

Yen Thanh district is the province's rice granary, so the locality pays special attention to preparing for spring crop production. Mr. Nguyen Trong Huong - Director of Yen Thanh District Agricultural Service Center said: In the upcoming spring crop, the whole district will plant 12,800 hectares of rice, accordingly, the district will structure the main hybrid rice varieties: Thai Xuyen 111, VT 868, Thuy Huong 307, Phu Uu 98; For pure rice, the structure of varieties: TVR 225, Bac Thom 7 and glutinous rice varieties. By the beginning of 2025, farmers have proactively completed the land preparation and started sowing rice seedlings.

Nghe An's food output target in 2025 is about 1.2 million tons; of which, the 2025 spring crop must strive to reach 708,800 tons of food. Accordingly, in the upcoming spring crop, the whole province strives to plant 90,500 hectares of rice and about 20,000 hectares of corn, peanuts, vegetables of all kinds... The province's guiding spirit is to be flexible, resolute and mobilize the entire political system to focus on directing production; maximally exploit and promote all resources so that the 2025 spring crop reaches the highest level in terms of area, productivity, output, ensuring safe and highly effective production.

Fishermen actively stick to the sea

In the first days of the new year, although the weather at sea is not very favorable and the monsoon continues to strengthen, at fishing ports in the province, fishermen are present to prepare for the first fishing trip of the year.

Mr. Ho Anh Son - manager of Lach Quen Fishing Port (Quynh Luu) said that due to the unfavorable weather at sea at the end of the year, the cold air increased, the sea was rough, so fishermen calculated the most favorable time to go out to sea to fish, avoiding the situation of having to return while fishing due to the monsoon, wasting fuel, because the catch was not much. Therefore, in the first days of the new year, for fishermen fishing with large-capacity boats, staying at sea for a long time, they should not rush to go out to sea, but take the opportunity to carefully repair fishing gear and means, each time they go out to sea is a victory.

For Dien Chau fishermen, most of whom fish close to shore, they still stick to the sea during the first days of the new year. Therefore, at Lach Van Fishing Port (Dien Chau), there are still many boats returning to the port and buying and selling seafood on the first day of the new year. Fishermen said that even though it is New Year's Day, they still stick to the sea to earn extra income.

Old fisherman Tran Hung in Dien Bich commune confided: For us fishermen, New Year's Day and other holidays are still normal. The fishing time is short, only one night, in the sea near the shore, so the seafood harvest is not large. Preliminary calculations show that his boat caught more than 200 kg of various types of seafood on this first trip of the year, including valuable items such as mantis shrimp, squid, and crab, worth more than 4 million VND.

The Lach Van Fishing Port Management Board said: On the first day of the new year 2025, Dien Chau fishermen still stick to the sea. Because they fish with small-capacity boats, they often leave late at night and return to shore at noon the next day. Therefore, the seafood caught is not large, mainly small amounts of squid, shrimp, crabs and sardines... after deducting expenses, each boat only makes a profit of 1 - 2 million VND. From 10am, fishing boats start returning to port, the bustling seafood trading scene only lasts for 2 hours. Like that, Dien Chau fishermen stick to the sea all year round, only resting for 3 - 4 days during Tet.

In 2024, although the fishing industry faced many difficulties, fishermen made efforts to "overcome the waves", the seafood catch was estimated at 214 tons/plan of 193 tons, an increase of 3.3% compared to 2023. This is also the driving force for fishermen in the province to continue to promote their experience and creativity in exploitation in 2025, at the same time investing in installing more modern equipment on fishing boats to bring higher efficiency.

Xuan Hoang