Why are there differences in harvester prices among rice fields in Thanh Chuong?

Currently, Duc Thanh hamlet has only harvested about 40% of the area. Photo: CSCC

Duc Thanh hamlet (Thanh Duc commune) has a total area of ​​47 hectares this spring, 40% of which has been harvested. Currently, in the hamlet's fields, there are 2 harvesters from other localities operating at a harvest price of 240,000-250,000 VND/sao. Compared to the general level, it is 50,000 VND/sao higher than the communes in the lower regions.

Mr. Dau Ba Duc - head of Duc Thanh hamlet said: "The current harvest price offered by the machine owners is 240,000-250,000 VND/sao. The people themselves contact and call the harvesters; the harvest price is agreed upon between the people and the machine owners. Compared to last year, this year's harvest price is 10,000-20,000 VND/sao higher."

Thanh Duc Commune Police directly worked with the harvester owner after receiving complaints from local residents. Photo: CSCC

According to Mr. Duc, the fields in Duc Thanh are mainly terraced fields, with many small, fragmented areas. The large fields have 2-3 acres of rice, and in some areas, less than one acre, so the harvester is also "picky" and does not want to return to the fields. However, according to Mr. Duc, the price of a harvester is about 210,000-220,000 VND/sao.is more suitable.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Vinh - Chairman of Thanh Duc Commune People's Committee said that the whole commune has 200 hectares of spring rice. The locality's characteristic is that the fields are fragmented, small, and deep, so in previous years, when it rained a lot, people mainly harvested by hand and used shoulder-mounted harvesters because harvesters could not go to the fields because of subsidence. This year, due to the drought and dry fields, Thanh Duc rice ripened later than other places, so people were able to contact harvesters to the fields.

Due to the characteristics of fields in the upper district communes being small, terraced, and fragmented, the price of harvesters is higher than in other fields. Photo: TP

“The commune has also received information from some people reflecting on the high price of harvesters in the commune, in particular, some places charge up to 290,000 VND/sao. In response to that information, the commune sent police and agricultural officers to the scene to investigate and verify. Through verification, the people's fields were up to 1.2 sao x 250,000 VND/sao, the machine owner charged 290,000 VND, which was the pre-agreed price. Compared to localities in the lowlands, the price of harvesters in Thanh Duc is 50,000 - 70,000 VND/sao higher.

Firstly, this price is agreed upon by the people with the machine owners; secondly, due to the characteristics of Thanh Duc's small, fragmented fields, difficult to climb up and down the steps, reduced harvest productivity, and oil consumption, the machine price is higher; thirdly, the area of ​​machine harvesters in Thanh Duc is not much, so there are few harvesters. People are afraid of rain and the machine not harvesting, so they accept a high price to finish harvesting the fields.

People waiting for the harvester. Photo: TP

Mr. Vinh also admitted that the management of harvesters in the locality is not really strict, mainly people contact and negotiate, the commune only handles cases where people have suggestions. "Learning from the experience of the next crop season, the commune will tighten the management of harvesters. That is, on the basis of synthesizing people's needs, will connect to bring harvesters back, distribute to the fields; on the other hand, when the harvesters arrive in the locality, they must agree on a floor price, list and publicize the price and can only collect from people within that price", Chairman of Thanh Duc Commune People's Committee said.

Currently, the highland communes of Thanh Chuong district such as Thanh Duc, Hanh Lam, Thanh Huong, Thanh My... are in the harvest season. The price of harvesters in these areas is also higher than in the plains, currently the harvest price ranges from 230,000 VND - 250,000 VND/sao and there is a local shortage of machines.

In many places, people have to harvest with hand-held clippers. Photo: TP

The reason is that the fields in these localities are mainly narrow, bad, small and fragmented, so the yield is low, oil is wasted and labor is wasted.

On the other hand, many households, due to the need to get straw for livestock, harvest close to the roots, so the price of harvesting by this method is also higher than harvesting half the stalk, the straw is crushed from 20,000-30,000 VND/sao. However, the price of harvesting according to people's reflection is too high. According to the recommendation, the price of harvesting about 210,000-220,000 VND/sao would be more reasonable.

According to people's suggestions, the harvest price in highland communes ranging from 210,000 to 220,000 VND is reasonable. Photo: TP

Discussing this issue, Mr. Le Dinh Thanh - Vice Chairman of Thanh Chuong District People's Committee said: "We have directed the communes to grasp the situation, strengthen the management of harvesters, especially the appropriate price of harvesters to ensure that people harvest most conveniently and economically."