Consequences of using rice varieties outside the approved structure.

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - Although the agricultural sector and localities have advised against including low-quality rice varieties in the crop structure, there is still a situation where people arbitrarily use poor-quality rice varieties, causing damage to production.

The people of Phuc Boi village, Tho Lap commune, are tending to their rice crop.

In the spring of 2025, the Ku57 and An Nong 1424 rice varieties were not included in the local seed structure by the Department of Agriculture and Environment or Tho Lap commune. However, people in Phuc Boi and Hamlet 2, Tho Lap commune, arbitrarily purchased seeds from dealers for planting, resulting in 31.11 hectares of rice having a high percentage of empty grains or failing to produce grains. Specifically, the hybrid rice variety Ku57 accounted for 27.66 hectares, and An Nong 1424 accounted for 3.45 hectares, with the rice not fully emerging, uneven flowering, and a high percentage of empty grains (70-80%). According to Ms. Vu Thi Lieu from Phuc Boi village, Tho Lap commune: “Last spring, my family independently purchased An Nong 1424 rice seeds and planted them on 2 sao (approximately 0.2 hectares). Although my family took good care of the plants and fertilized them properly, and the rice grew well, at harvest time, the rice grains were mostly empty, resulting in low yields. Given this situation, the company and the seed supplier inspected the plants and compensated my family for the losses. This is also a valuable lesson for us in production, a reminder not to disregard local recommendations.”

In response to the situation, on May 24, 2025, seed production and import units worked with the People's Committee of Tho Lap commune and representatives of Hoan Oanh store (the seed supplier) to provide seeds to affected households. Through this, Hoan Oanh seed agency in Tho Lap commune, representing two rice seed supply companies, provided support to affected households with a total amount exceeding 105 million VND. This included over 51 million VND for 118 households in Phuc Boi village and nearly 54 million VND for 83 households in Village 2. Mr. Do Dinh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tho Lap commune, said: "Following this incident, right from the beginning of the 2025 autumn crop season, after the local merger, we have established teams to inspect production in the fields. At the same time, we are educating people about using crop varieties that conform to the agricultural sector's and local regulations in production. Absolutely no crop varieties that have not been tested and demonstrated in the province for full assessment of their adaptability, resistance, yield, and quality should be used. In addition, the locality is strengthening state management of seed businesses in the area and requiring dealers to fully comply with regulations and provide technical guidance during the production process."

Hana Seed Company Limited (Luu Ve commune) produces high-quality rice seeds for local farmers. Photo: Le Hoi

According to the Thanh Hoa Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, the province plans to plant 112,000 hectares of various rice varieties in the 2025 crop season. To prevent farmers from adhering to the recommended crop structure and arbitrarily using rice varieties outside of the approved list, which have not been monitored or evaluated for their adaptability to local soil conditions and pose many risks, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has guided localities to use the correct main rice varieties from the beginning of the season. Specifically, hybrid rice varieties account for 31,978.4 hectares (28.5%); purebred rice varieties account for 80,226.6 hectares (71.5%); and glutinous rice varieties account for 8,657.45 hectares (7.7%) of the total planted area.

According to Le Van Thuy, Deputy Head of the Crop Production Department of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, there are currently about 58 hybrid and purebred rice varieties licensed for use in the province, and these varieties are allocated by the agricultural sector for production seasons throughout the year. For the 2025 crop season, the unit has advised the agricultural sector to recommend that each commune and ward in the province should only allocate 5-6 main varieties, with each commune having 2-3 varieties, in order to effectively implement intensive farming management, water regulation, and pest and disease management. In addition, the unit regularly coordinates with communes and wards to disseminate legal regulations to organizations and individuals producing and supplying seeds, ensuring they provide complete information and technical guidance on rice varieties so that people can make informed choices for production. To prevent people from using poor-quality seeds, seed suppliers in communes and wards must report to the local authorities and specialized agencies when introducing new seeds into the area, as required by law.

Text and photos: Le Hoi

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/he-luy-tu-viec-su-dung-giong-lua-ngoai-co-cau-255878.htm