Reduce costs, keep profits from the summer-autumn crop.

Rising agricultural input prices and unpredictable weather patterns have led farmers in many localities across the province to change their rice cultivation methods. From seed selection and land preparation to planting schedules, everything is carefully planned from the beginning of the summer-autumn crop season to reduce costs, limit pests and diseases, and maintain profitability.

Officials from Hoa Hung commune go to the fields with the people to discuss the planting situation for the 2026 summer-autumn crop. Photo: BICH THUY

Amidst the scorching early summer sun, on a newly prepared field in Hoa Phu hamlet, Hoa Hung commune, Mr. Diec Thanh Van – a member of the Hoa Phu Agricultural Cooperative – chatted with the commune's delegation visiting the summer-autumn crop. Pointing to the newly planted rice paddies, Mr. Van shared with the delegation about the proactive approach of the farmers in this year's summer-autumn crop production. His family had just planted 3 hectares of OM 18 rice a few days earlier. After harvesting the winter-spring crop, he proactively let the land rest for nearly three weeks before using machinery to prepare the soil, aiming to reduce pests and diseases and help the soil recover better. “The summer-autumn crop requires careful planning from the beginning. If you prepare the land immediately after harvesting, there will still be many pests and diseases. By letting the soil dry and planting according to the agricultural sector's recommended schedule, I reduce costs and the rice plants are healthier,” Mr. Van said.

According to Mr. Van, production costs for this year's summer-autumn crop have increased significantly. Plowing, harrowing, and tilling alone cost nearly 500,000 VND per hectare, a 30% increase compared to before; fertilizer costs have risen from 700,000 to 800,000 VND per hectare, forcing farmers to change their production methods to maintain profitability.

Hoa Phu Agricultural Cooperative has 192 members, with a production area of ​​over 407.4 hectares. For this year's summer-autumn crop, the cooperative is using OM 18 and OM 5451 rice varieties, with a growth period of 90 days. According to Mr. Tran Thanh Dao, Director of Hoa Phu Agricultural Cooperative, the cooperative encouraged members to sow seeds simultaneously from April 15th to 30th, following recommendations from agricultural experts to minimize pests and diseases. They also advised farmers to regularly inspect their fields, reduce the amount of seeds sown, and apply high-quality rice cultivation practices to reduce costs and improve production efficiency.

In Thanh Phong hamlet, Thanh Hung commune, many farmers are busily preparing the land for planting the summer-autumn crop. Mr. Nguyen Van Kich, Director of the 339 Agricultural Cooperative, said: “This year, the cooperative has 50 members cultivating 124 hectares of land, and they unanimously chose the DS1 variety (Japanese rice) to plant simultaneously across the entire area. According to Mr. Kich, the DS1 variety was chosen by the farmers from the beginning of the season because it has many advantages such as: less susceptible to pests and diseases, strong stems, easy to care for, suitable for the local soil, and a stable selling price at a much higher level than many other rice varieties. This variety is also suitable for the orientation of high-quality rice production according to the Project of 1 million hectares of specialized high-quality rice cultivation. “The weather is unpredictable in the summer-autumn season, so if an unsuitable variety is chosen, it can easily lead to pests and diseases, increasing costs. The DS1 variety is strong, less prone to lodging, and easy to care for, so farmers feel secure,” Mr. Kich said.

Mr. Kich's family currently cultivates 5 hectares of rice. For the 2025-2026 winter-spring crop, thanks to the application of drone spraying, an automated water pumping system, and mechanization in harvesting, the yield reached over 9 tons/ha. With traders buying at around 6,100 VND/kg, profits are more stable than before.

According to Mr. Cao Hoang Nhan, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Thanh Hung commune, in the 2026 summer-autumn crop season, the entire commune sowed 10,740 hectares of rice, including 777 hectares of DS1 (Japanese rice). According to Mr. Nhan, the proactive selection of suitable varieties, simultaneous planting, and application of cultivation techniques from the beginning of the season by farmers contributed to reducing production costs, limiting pests and diseases, and gradually improving the quality of rice grains in the commune.

From the newly planted rice fields in Hoa Hung to Thanh Hung, it's evident that today's farmers are no longer relying solely on traditional experience but are gradually shifting towards a systematic approach to agriculture, planning from the very beginning of the season. This proactive approach, from seed selection and land preparation to simultaneous planting and the application of advanced farming techniques, not only reduces costs and limits pests and diseases but also gradually improves rice quality, adapting to market fluctuations and unpredictable weather. This is also the direction many localities in the province are focusing on to build high-quality rice production areas, increase the value of rice grains, and help farmers feel secure and committed to their fields.

BICH THUY

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/giam-chi-phi-giu-loi-vu-he-thu-a485578.html