Responding to natural disasters, farmers urgently harvest summer-autumn rice

Harvesting rice by machine should speed up the progress. Photo: Viet Hung

At this time, in Quynh Luu district, farmers here are busy going to the fields to harvest rice early to escape the flood.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong in hamlet 9, Quynh Hau commune said that her family has 4 sao of Khang Dan rice, currently the rice is about 85% ripe but still has to be harvested to avoid flooding.

At the same time, people in Quynh Hau, Quynh Doi, Quynh Yen, Quynh Hong communes... all went to the fields to harvest rice to avoid flooding. According to households, this crop has a short-term rice variety structure, due to erratic weather, many pests and diseases arise, leading to low yields (only 2-2.5 quintals/sao).

Farmers in Quynh Luu district urgently harvest summer-autumn rice. Photo: Viet Hung

According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quynh Luu district, in the summer-autumn crop of 2018, the district restructured 7,600 hectares of rice; however, due to drought at the beginning of the crop, only 7,300 hectares were completed. Up to this point, the whole district has harvested about 75% of the total summer-autumn rice area, concentrated in the communes of the agricultural region.

This summer-autumn crop, Do Luong district produced 7,300 hectares of rice; these days, farmers are rushing to the fields to harvest to start winter crop production.

In Bac Son commune, people have harvested more than 60 hectares out of a total area of ​​197 hectares.In other communes such as Dang Son, Luu Son, Nam Son, Thuong Son, Thuan Son... farmers have basically harvested almost all of the area.

People in Boi Son commune (Do Luong) urgently harvest summer-autumn rice. Photo: Ngoc Phuong

Many communes in Do Luong such as Quang Son, Hien Son, Tru Son, Dai Son, Hong Son, Lam Son... in previous years often harvested rice early to avoid floods. However, the progress of harvesting in these localities is slowing down because many rice areas were previously flooded, causing the growing period to be prolonged, and at this stage the rice is in the green stage. According to data from the district's Department of Agriculture, this area is estimated at 1,700 hectares.

According to the plan, on the harvested areas, farmers will urgently deploy winter crop production. The whole Do Luong district strives to plant 3,287 hectares of winter crop, of which corn is 1,758 hectares, sweet potatoes are 277 hectares, peanuts are 156 hectares, vegetables and beans are 734 hectares, and fish for the third crop is 428 hectares. The goal is to finish sowing winter crops before October 20, with peanuts to be sown before September 10, and squash before September 30...

Currently, people in Nam Dan district are also actively going to the fields to harvest summer-autumn rice. According to the district's Department of Agriculture, up to this point, communes have harvested about 70% of the summer-autumn rice area; the remaining 30% of the summer-autumn rice area is scattered in the communes; It is expected that Nam Dan will finish harvesting summer-autumn rice by September 15.

Bringing machinery into the summer-autumn rice harvest in Do Luong district. Photo: Ngoc Phuong

According to the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, as of September 10, the whole province has harvested 30,000/58,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice. Some localities have harvested large areas such as: Yen Thanh 10,000 hectares, Dien Chau 8,000 hectares, Quynh Luu 3,000 hectares, Thanh Chuong 2,000 hectares...

The weather is favorable, farmers are actively harvesting rice to avoid floods in the coming time. However, some rice fields are still affected by flooding in storm No. 3, so Nghe An is expected to finish harvesting summer-autumn rice by September 20./.