Authorities intervene to stabilize rental prices for combine harvesters during the harvest season.

Proactively manage service prices right from the start of the season.

In Bich Hao commune, before the spring rice harvest, the People's Committee directed the Farmers' Association to coordinate with the commune's police to develop a plan for managing the operation of combine harvesters in the area. Given the large area of ​​rice fields flattened by storms and the high demand for combine harvester rentals, the local authorities determined that prompt action was necessary to prevent price gouging and avoid putting pressure on farmers.

Accordingly, the People's Committee of the commune, the Farmers' Association, and the commune police organized a meeting and worked directly with the owners of the harvesting machines to agree on a coordination plan and a service price framework suitable to the actual production situation. After the meeting, the parties agreed on harvesting prices based on the specific field conditions.

Specifically, for favorable rice-growing areas, the price should not exceed 200,000 VND/sao; for low-lying, waterlogged areas, it should not exceed 220,000 VND/sao; and for fields where rice has fallen over and is difficult to harvest, it should not exceed 250,000 VND/sao. At the same time, local authorities will publicly provide the phone number of the police force so that people can report any instances of unauthorized price increases or difficulties during the harvesting process.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Dang, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Bich Hao commune, the entire commune currently has 1,525 hectares of spring rice, of which about 386 hectares have been flattened due to the weather. To date, the locality has only harvested about 5% of the area, so the demand for combine harvesters in the coming period remains very high.

“The local authorities are working with machine owners to strengthen state management, ensure security and order, and protect the rights of the people. We base our decisions on the current oil price, income per unit area of ​​rice cultivation, the production conditions of the farmers, and the difficulties of this year's harvest to agree on a suitable price,” Mr. Dang said.

Currently, there are more than 20 combine harvesters operating in the commune. According to reports, the machine owners are in strong agreement with the contents discussed at the meeting. In addition, the Fatherland Front and other organizations have been assigned to monitor the situation and promptly report any violations of the commitments.

In Tam Dong commune, the regulation of combine harvester services was also implemented early before the harvest season. The commune People's Committee held meetings with organizations and individuals providing combine harvester and threshing machine services to agree on a price framework for harvesting, land preparation, and rice planting services in 2026. Currently, the commune has 21 combine harvester owners, basically meeting the production needs of the people.

According to the agreed plan, for concentrated, flat rice fields suitable for machine operation, when the price of diesel fuel is below 30,000 VND/liter, the harvesting price will not exceed 250,000 VND/sao (1 sao = 360 square meters). If the price of diesel fuel rises above this level, the service price will only be adjusted proportionally.

For areas with specific characteristics such as low-lying, muddy, fragmented rice paddies, or areas where rice plants have lodged, farmers and machine owners are allowed to agree on a suitable price, but this must be done in a transparent and fair manner, without exploiting peak season to raise prices unreasonably. The Tam Dong Commune People's Committee also requires machine owners to strictly adhere to the agreed-upon prices, preventing unfair competition, price undercutting, or territorial disputes. Violations will be severely punished according to regulations.

Strengthening supervision and protecting farmers' rights.

In addition to establishing service pricing frameworks, many localities are also strengthening direct inspections and supervision in the fields to promptly detect and handle acts of price manipulation or disruption of public order during the harvest process.

The reality in Dai Dong commune shows that, without government regulation, the price of combine harvester services can easily fluctuate during peak harvest season.

Mr. Le Van Son, residing in Tuong Dinh village (Dai Dong commune), said that his family cultivates 5 sao (approximately 0.5 hectares) of rice and is preparing for the harvest. Previously, when contacting the machine owner, he was informed that the harvesting price would range from 250,000 to 270,000 VND per sao, an increase of about 50,000 to 70,000 VND compared to last year due to increased fuel costs.

However, after the commune leaders instructed the relevant authorities and the Economic Department coordinated with the commune police, the villages intensified inspections and supervision of combine harvester operations, and the service price was adjusted down to approximately 200-250 thousand VND per sao (a unit of land measurement).

"Although the price is still slightly higher than in previous years, it is completely within the farmers' ability to pay and accurately reflects the actual costs of fuel, labor, and machine operation," Mr. Son shared.

According to many farmers, the important thing is not just the specific price, but also transparency and coordination by local authorities. In unfavorable weather conditions, when the rice ripens rapidly, without strict management, price gouging or territorial disputes can easily occur.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung, owner of a combine harvester in Tam Dong commune, believes that the government's initiative in organizing meetings and agreeing on prices at the beginning of the season helps machine owners be more proactive in their operations. With a common price framework, we can work with peace of mind, avoiding unfair competition or conflicts in the fields.

In Minh Chau commune, there are currently about 25-30 combine harvesters operating in the fields. To ensure the harvesting process runs smoothly, the local authorities, along with the commune's police force, held meetings with village heads and combine harvester owners to sign agreements on service prices and security.

According to information from the Minh Chau Commune Police, the locality has announced hotlines for people to report any signs of disputes or unreasonable price increases during the harvesting process. Currently, the price for renting harvesting machines in the area ranges from 200,000 to 250,000 VND per sao (approximately 1000 square meters); for low-lying fields or areas where the rice has fallen over, farmers and machine owners can proactively negotiate further.

The machine owners also agreed on a harvesting plan for each rice field, prioritizing areas where the rice ripens first and low-lying areas to minimize losses for the people. "To date, the machine owners have basically complied strictly with the commitments made, supporting the farmers in harvesting on schedule," said Major Nguyen Huu Thanh, Deputy Head of Minh Chau Commune Police.

Amidst unpredictable weather patterns and a surge in harvesting demand, the proactive management of combine harvester rental services by local authorities has significantly contributed to stabilizing agricultural production. These solutions not only help farmers reduce costs but also mitigate disputes, maintain security and order at the local level, and enable localities to accelerate the spring rice harvest and prepare for the next planting season.

Thanh Phuc