[Photo] Farmers in Ung Hoa are delighted with a bountiful rice harvest.

In the fields of Phuong Tu commune, hundreds of hectares of rice paddies are flourishing, promising a bountiful harvest for the local people. The rice growing season lasts from January to April of the lunar calendar each year.

Even though the sun was high in the sky, everyone was still tending to their rice fields, waiting for the harvest season.

This year marks the first time the Phuong Tu Cooperative has introduced the new J02 rice variety for cultivation to all its members. J02 is a short-day Japanese rice variety that yields high productivity, has good pest and disease resistance, and produces fragrant, delicious rice, resulting in a selling price up to 30% higher than regular rice. With this new rice variety, farmers receive 50% of the seed cost subsidized by the local authorities.

Mr. Nguyen Van Nhuong's family in Phuong Tu commune is cultivating 7 sao (approximately 0.7 hectares) of J02 rice, with an average annual yield of 2 to 2.2 quintals per sao, and a selling price of 5,000 VND per kilogram at the field. This year, he expects to harvest a total of 1.5 tons of rice. He is currently rushing to prepare for the harvest at the end of the month.

Similar to Mr. Nhuong, Ms. Do Thi Hoa's family is cultivating 8.5 sao (approximately 0.8 hectares) of J02 rice, with an expected yield of 2 quintals per sao. Although they haven't harvested yet and it's their first year cultivating this rice variety, she says her rice field is predicted to yield a high harvest. The rice plants are flowering evenly, with dense grains, and the quality is better than in previous years, making her very happy. Her family plans to harvest in two weeks.

This year's rice crop saw most fields in Phuong Tu commune using aircraft to spray pesticides, increasing the effectiveness of preventing pests and diseases that affect rice yield and quality.

Locals say that the weather this year has generally been relatively favorable, except for the heavy rains and strong winds at the end of the season, which caused the rice plants to fall over. Farmers have been coping by tying the rice stalks together in bundles to protect them from being crushed.

Due to heavy rains, the rice plants, currently in their flowering stage, are experiencing gloomy weather, leading to the development of numerous pests and diseases. Concerns include snails, leaf-rolling caterpillars, blast disease, and especially rat damage. A significant portion of Mrs. Hoa's rice crop suffered considerable damage due to rat infestations. Farmers are addressing this by spraying pesticides, setting rat traps, spraying snail killer, or using lights at night to catch snails.

Local authorities are also coordinating with farmers to drain water from the fields to maintain dryness, facilitating rice harvesting should heavy rains occur and cause flooding.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong (Ngoc Dong village, Phuong Tu commune), who has 2 sao (approximately 0.2 hectares) of J02 rice, said: “Because this is the first year planting the J02 rice variety, the effort and cost are higher compared to other rice varieties such as Bac Thom or Nep Nhung. However, overall, we had a good harvest with high yields. During the planting process, we mainly used Viet Nhat NPK fertilizers and Van Dien fertilizers to supplement nutrients for the rice.”

After being cut, the grass along the riverbanks will be burned to avoid affecting the yield and quality of the rice crop that is about to be harvested.

The people of Phuong Tu commune expect to harvest their rice simultaneously in two weeks. Currently, they are focusing on caring for and protecting the rice crop in preparation for the harvest at the end of the month.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/anh-nong-dan-ung-hoa-phan-khoi-duoc-mua-lua-chiem-post809811.html