These days, farmers in the Đồng Tháp Mười region of the province are busy harvesting the 2025-2026 winter-spring rice crop. According to reports, thanks to favorable weather, this year's winter-spring rice yield is quite high, with many areas achieving 8-10 tons/ha. However, the joy of a bumper harvest is not complete as rice prices have continuously decreased compared to the beginning of the season, and input costs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and harvesting machinery remain high, significantly reducing actual profits.
Besides facing pressure from rising rice prices, farmers are also burdened by increased harvesting costs. Observations show that the rental price of combine harvesters has significantly adjusted. For standing rice, the cost of cutting and hauling has increased by 200,000-300,000 VND/ha compared to before. For lodged rice, the price can increase by 50-100%, depending on the extent of the damage.
Nguyen Son Loc's family (residing in Khanh Hung commune) recently harvested 5 hectares of rice. They reported an average yield of nearly 9 tons per hectare, but increased production costs from the beginning to the end of the season reduced profits. "Not only have fertilizer and pesticide prices increased, but the cost of hiring combine harvesters has also risen by more than 20%. On average, costs have increased by about 300,000 VND per hectare, while profits have decreased by about 1.5 million VND compared to before," Mr. Loc shared.
Mr. Le Truong An had 8 hectares of rice ready for harvest when unseasonal rains caused about 70% of the crop to be flattened, significantly increasing harvesting costs. “In previous seasons, harvesting costs were around 1.2 million VND/hectare, but now they’ve increased to 1.5 million VND/hectare. Because so much of the rice has been flattened, the cost has risen to 2.5 million VND/hectare. Profit has decreased by about 12 million VND for harvesting all 8 hectares of my family’s rice,” Mr. An said.
Meanwhile, combine harvester owners are also facing considerable difficulties. Mr. Nguyen Van Lam, a combine harvester owner in Khanh Hung commune, said that the sharp increase in fuel prices is the reason for the rise in operating costs. “Previously, the price of diesel was around 18,000 VND/liter, but now it has increased to over 33,000 VND/liter. On average, each hectare requires about 20 liters of diesel, so costs have increased significantly. To ensure operations continue, we are forced to negotiate higher rice harvesting prices with farmers,” Mr. Lam said.
This situation puts both farmers and combine harvester owners in a difficult position. Rice farmers have to accept high costs to harvest on time and avoid losses, while machine owners also face significant pressure regarding fuel and labor costs.
According to reports, rice prices have decreased by 300-600 VND/kg compared to the beginning of the season. Popular rice varieties such as Dai Thom 8, OM18, and Nang Hoa 9 have all seen price drops, directly impacting farmers' incomes. Many farmers say that after deducting expenses, the remaining profit is negligible, especially for those who rent land for production, where it is much lower than their initial expectations.
Although this year's winter-spring rice crop achieved high yields, production costs are putting pressure on rice farmers. Without timely solutions, profits will continue to decline, affecting the sustainability of agricultural production in the future.
Source: https://baotayninh.vn/chi-phi-thu-hoach-lua-tang-loi-nhuan-giam-142447.html
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