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For nearly a month, the Agricultural and Forestry Seed Farm in Khanh Lam commune has been operating at full capacity, receiving, drying and preserving rice for farmers. Low fresh rice prices and limited output have forced many households to choose to dry rice for storage, waiting to sell when prices increase.

3 drying kilns are always on 24/7 to support farmers in drying rice.

Mr. Nguyen Phi Long, a farmer in Hamlet 7, Khanh Lam Commune, shared: "There is a large quantity, I cannot dry it in time, and if I sell it, I will lose money, so I dry the rice and store it in the warehouse. The farm does not charge any fees, the people only support the electricity bill."

Mr. Le Van Khac, Head of the Agricultural and Forestry Seed Farm, said: “When farmers bring rice, we immediately put it into the drying kiln. Currently, all three kilns operate continuously day and night, and the warehouse has a capacity of more than 1,000 tons.”

Fresh rice is continuously transported for drying.

Not only households, many cooperatives have also been "saved" thanks to the drying system. Since the second half of August, Khanh Minh Agricultural Service Cooperative has purchased more than 300 tons of commercial rice, brought it to the seed farm for drying and storage. Mr. Huynh Van Si, Deputy Director of the Cooperative, said: "Without this support, we would not be able to purchase rice for people. Thanks to the drying and storage facilities, the cooperative is confident in purchasing more, avoiding the situation of old rice not being sold and new rice arriving."

Hundreds of bags of dried rice are neatly arranged in the warehouse.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu Khuyen, Deputy Director of the Provincial Agricultural Seed Center, in addition to cooperatives, many small businesses also bring rice to dry, with a volume of several dozen tons. The center only collects support for electricity and firewood; the storage service is completely free for farmers. "Thanks to the centralized drying and storage system, farmers can proactively keep rice waiting for prices, limit dumping and reduce dependence on traders," Ms. Khuyen emphasized.

Mr. Le Van Khac (left) and Mr. Huynh Van Sy go to the warehouse every day to check the quantity of dried and stored rice.

With dried rice, farmers can preserve it for over 3 months while still maintaining its quality. This solution not only helps farmers avoid losses, but also increases the commercial value of Ca Mau rice. In the context of a volatile market, this is not only a temporary measure, but also opens up a sustainable direction for farmers' rice production.

Cam Nhi - Hoang Nam

Source: https://baocamau.vn/ho-tro-nong-dan-say-va-luu-tru-cho-gia-lua-phuc-hoi-a122421.html