To ensure a successful spring crop.

Currently, farmers in the province are focusing on harvesting winter crops, preparing the land, and sowing seeds for the spring crop according to the published planting schedule. To ensure a successful spring crop, the Department of Agriculture is coordinating with districts, cities, and towns to ensure sufficient supply of seeds and fertilizers to meet farmers' needs, and to guarantee adequate water for planting.

Farmers in Tu Xa commune, Lam Thao district, are harvesting their winter vegetables to prepare for the spring planting season.

Identifying difficulties

Currently, farmers in the province are focusing all resources on harvesting winter crops; plowing and preparing the land quickly, ensuring that all crop residues and pests from the previous season are removed to allow for planting within the optimal timeframe. After harvesting the last rows of winter vegetables, Mr. Nguyen Van Thieu's family in Tu Xa commune, Lam Thao district, has hired a plowing machine to prepare the land for spring planting. Mr. Thieu said: "Currently, my family has finished plowing the fields and is waiting to soak the soil to allow for planting according to the schedule announced by the commune's agricultural extension team. This year's winter crop has had little rain, so the water supply for agricultural production is not yet sufficient, especially for planting. However, we are still proactively clearing and cleaning the irrigation ditches so that we can get water as soon as the cooperative organizes irrigation."

According to forecasts from the Northern mountainous region's meteorological and hydrological station, from December 2024 to February 2025, average rainfall may be lower than the multi-year average, and there may be prolonged periods of severe cold weather, affecting agricultural production. Meanwhile, the spring crop is the main agricultural production season of the year, determining over 60% of the province's annual food production target. 2025 is also a year with many major national holidays and important events; therefore, achieving success in the spring crop is the most practical way for localities, the agricultural sector, and farmers throughout the province to participate in the emulation movement.

According to the plan, this spring, the entire province will plant approximately 35,300 hectares of rice, including nearly 11,800 hectares of hybrid rice, 21,100 hectares of high-quality rice, and the remainder being other rice varieties. The expected yield is approximately 61.7 quintals/hectare, with a total projected production of around 217,700 tons. Besides rice, the province also plans to plant 5,600 hectares of corn and 4,800 hectares of various green vegetables during the spring season. According to the published schedule, early spring rice (accounting for 2% of the total planting area) has already been sown and is being prepared for planting, concentrated in low-lying fields. Late spring rice (accounting for 98% of the total area) will be divided into two phases: phase 1 (accounting for 46% of the total area) will be sown in the first week of January 2025, and phase 2 (accounting for 52% of the total area) will be sown from January 25th to February 5th, 2025.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Luyen, Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Thanh Thuy district, said: "Identifying the spring crop as the main production season, serving as a foundation for subsequent seasons, the Department has advised the district People's Committee leaders to organize effective dissemination of information on the planting schedule; encouraging farmers to adhere to the schedule and avoid planting too early to prevent severe cold weather from affecting the growth of rice plants."

Besides the impact of weather, the prices of input materials and services for production continue to rise, and difficulties in the agricultural product market are also affecting the morale of producers.

Preparing the land for spring planting in Thuong Nong commune, Tam Nong district.

Implement solutions decisively.

Recognizing and anticipating these difficulties, localities are closely following solutions for spring crop production, adhering to planting schedules, crop varieties, and production plans as guided by the Department of Agriculture. Mr. Tran Tu Anh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasized: Based on the province's policies and directions, localities need to closely monitor the production situation and weather developments to provide timely, decisive, and appropriate guidance and direction to ensure that all planned areas are planted, avoiding abandoned fields and crop failures. At the same time, focus on effectively implementing crop varieties and seed structures, sowing seedlings according to the province's planting schedule; encourage land consolidation and concentration associated with the construction of single-crop fields to uniformly apply technical advancements and introduce mechanization into production to achieve the highest possible results in the spring crop.

To date, localities have prepared sufficient quantities of seeds, the correct crop structure, fertilizers, irrigation water, and other agricultural supplies according to the implemented plan for the Spring crop of 2025. The agricultural sector also requires specialized units to send staff to coordinate with localities to closely monitor the fields, guide people on measures to protect seedlings from the cold, and closely monitor weather conditions to adjust planting and cultivation accordingly, avoiding planting seedlings too early. Farmers are advised to plant rice around the beginning of Spring, avoiding planting and applying nitrogen fertilizer to seedlings when the temperature drops below 16 ^° C. For crops such as corn, peanuts, beans, etc., in addition to planting at the right time, farmers should take advantage of soil moisture for planting and use good quality crop varieties according to the agricultural sector's plan, avoiding planting on days when the temperature is below 15 ^° C.

To minimize the risk of farmers purchasing substandard supplies that could negatively impact productivity and yield, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has assigned units to coordinate with local authorities to inspect agricultural supply businesses, ensuring the supply of quality seeds and materials in accordance with the issued catalog. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also requested the Phu Tho Irrigation Works Exploitation Company Limited to direct its irrigation enterprises to cooperate with local authorities in repairing and dredging canals, ensuring sufficient water supply for production, and strictly prohibiting any actions that drain water for fishing.

Besides implementing support policies, districts, cities, and towns also continue to implement mechanisms and policies to attract businesses to invest in the agricultural sector, with a focus on processing; continue to promote the construction of linkages from production to processing and consumption of products; encourage potential entities to develop OCOP products to enhance the value of agricultural products, and move towards expanding production and raw material supply areas... Localities need to proactively monitor weather conditions closely and prepare prevention and control plans to minimize damage in case of natural disasters.

Phan Cuong

Source: https://baophutho.vn/de-san-xuat-vu-xuan-thang-loi-225357.htm