The rice yield of the winter-spring crop of 2021-2022 is estimated to reach 71.91 quintals per ha, the highest number over the past two decades.

The number is 0.28 quintal per ha higher than the same period last year.

The data is revealed at a conference held on March 17 to review crop production for the winter-spring crop 2021-2022 and implementing the plan for the summer-autumn crop in 2022 in the southern region.

The conference is co-organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People’s Committee of Vinh Long Province.

Speaking at the conference, Minister Le Quoc Doanh said the agricultural sector has gained achievements last year after overcoming difficulties triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The growth rate reached approximately 3 per cent and the farm-produce export reached over US$48 billion, he said.

The cultivation industry’s growth rate reached 2.7 per cent and the rice industry in the Mekong Delta increased by 1.1 million tonnes of rice while the cultivation area decreased by about 18,000 ha, he added.

This year, the material prices are escalating and the pandemic has showed complex developments are forecasted to put impacts on the world food security, he said.

For Viet Nam, it needed drastic coordination from localities to successfully implement the plan for the summer-autumn and the autumn-winter crops, contributing to the country’s economic development, he said.

Take prompt actions

Le Thanh Tung, Deputy Director of the Crop Production Department under the agricultural ministry said the agricultural production in the winter-spring crop of 2021-2022 has faced three big challenges.

The challenges include the COVID-19 pandemic, the record-high price of fertilizer and the risks of drought and saltwater intrusion, he said.

Therefore, the implementation of the winter-spring crop in 2021-2022 in southern provinces and cities has been carried out since early October 2021, he said.

Thanks to the early implementation, it has forecasted areas at risk of drought and salinity and take remedial measures, he said.

The agricultural sector and localities in the region have created all favorable conditions for the production and consumption of agricultural products in the area.

Besides, recommendations of using rice varieties suitable to actual production, market demand and varieties that are able to adapt to drought and salinity conditions have been applied.

The awareness of farmers about the use of good seeds and the increasing level of investment and application of technical advances in production are the important factors to improve the productivity and output of crops, he said.

Reducing volume of sowing seeds

Most of the provinces have reduced the amount of sowing seeds. The results show that the amount of sowing seeds of above 150 kg per ha tends to decrease, the amount of sowing seeds of 120 - 130 kg per ha is being deployed in many provinces.

In addition, many models of reducing the amount of sowing seeds of 80 kg per ha have shown good results and are being multiplied in production.

According to a preliminary survey from the departments of Agriculture and Rural Development in provinces and cities in the delta, the amount of sowing seeds of above 150 kg per ha reduced 1.9 per cent, the amount of sowing seeds of under 100 kg per ha increased 0,05 per cent while the amount of sowing seeds from 100-150 kg per ha increased 1.85 per cent compared to the last year’s winter-spring crop.

However, it is necessary to continue promoting the programme to reduce the amount of sowing seeds in rice production in the Mekong Delta.

Winter-spring crop’s rice production

The total sowing area in the southern region in the winter-spring crop 2021-2022 is 1.57 million ha, a decrease of 18,260 ha.

The rice yield is estimated at 11.3 million tonnes, a decrease of 87,000 tonnes compared to the winter-spring crop 2020–2021.

The delta’s sowing area reached 1,5 million hectares, a decrease of 15,000 hectares. The rice yield is estimated at 10.9 million tonnes, a decrease of 75,000 tonnes.

The sowing seeds of the winter-spring crop 2021 - 2022 in the delta has been carried out earlier than in coastal provinces to avoid drought and salinity in the dry season.

At the time of sowing seeds, more-favorable weather has helps rice plants to grow and develop well, with less pests and diseases.

According to the crop production department, the reason for the reduction in the area and production of winter-spring rice crop 2021-2022 is due to the impact of the pandemic.

Taking care and harvesting of the crop was late due to social distancing time in 2021.

Moreover, some areas that were hit by floodwaters, leading to a delay in sowing the seeds for the winter-spring crop.

Rice variety structure

Aromatic and specialty rice varieties such as Jasmine 85, ST, RVT, Tai Nguyen and Nang Hoa 9 account for 33.29 per cent of the total area, an increase of 11.29 per cent compared to the winter-spring 2020-2021.

High-quality rice varieties such as OM5451, Dai Tho 8, Huong Chau 6, OM18, OM9577, OM9582, OM4900, OM7347 and OM6976 accounted for 49.64 per cent, about 2.86 per cent lower than the winter-spring crop 2020-2021.

Middle quality rice varieties such as IR50404, OM576 and OC10 account for 7.12 per cent and sticky rice varieties account for 8.93 per cent./.

Translated by Thu Hang