|
Mekong Delta enjoys bumper summer-autumn crop
Farmers in the Mekong Delta are reaping a pumper rice crop with an average yield of more than 5 tonnes per ha, higher than the last summer-autumn harvest.
The peasants have to date harvested over 50 percent of the region’s total 1.6 million ha of paddy fields, which is expected to give an output of 8 million tonnes.
With the estimated amount, the country’s granary is hopefully achieving a total output of more than 18 million tonnes from this year’s two major winter-spring and summer-autumn rice crops.
Despite difficulties caused by unfavourable weather and pestilent insects, the Mekong Delta has successfully fulfilled its set targets in rice yield and output, said Pham Van Du, Deputy Director of the Plantation Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The achievements are partly due to regional provinces’ efforts to increase paddy cultivation acreage, including 73,000 ha in Soc Trang and 9,000 ha in An Giang.
Paddy prices in the region have seen a remarkable rise, standing at 4,700-5,100 VND per kilo, and local farmers are likely to make a profit of 1,500 VND per kilo.
According to Prof. Dr. Vo Tong Xuan, a prestigious agriculturist, the world’s demand for rice is growing, meaning that domestic farmers will have a chance to sell rice at higher prices
VNA
|
