On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, farmers in Nghe An are busy heading to the fields and fishing in the sea.

From the fourth day of the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Horse, in the rice and vegetable farming areas of Nghe An province, farmers simultaneously went to the fields, while fishermen also chose this day to "first set sail," hoping for a year of favorable weather, calm seas, and a bountiful harvest.

Fishermen "break sea" at the beginning of the new year.

According to the beliefs of local fishermen, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year is an auspicious day for setting sail, and with favorable weather conditions at sea, many boat owners embark on their first trip of the new year to bring good luck.

At noon on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Lach Van fishing port welcomed the first fishing boats of the new year. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Fishermen in the coastal communes of Dien Chau and Hai Chau mainly catch seafood using small boats, so they operate close to shore. From the evening of the third day of Tet (Lunar New Year), the fishermen begin preparing their fishing gear and fuel, getting ready for their first fishing trip of the year.

At noon on the fourth day of Tet, boats and ships returned to Lach Van Fishing Port after a night of fishing, bringing back fresh seafood, mainly shrimp, squid, mantis shrimp, and various types of fish, which sold well.

Fishermen are busily transferring seafood from their boats to the port for sale to traders. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Mr. Nguyen Van Son, the owner of a fishing boat in Dien Chau commune, said that his family's first fishing trip of the year departed at 1:00 AM on the 4th day of Tet (Lunar New Year). After about 9 hours at sea, the boat docked at the port at over 10:00 AM the same day, bringing in about 300 kg of shrimp and various types of fish.

At the beginning of spring, demand for seafood increases while the number of boats going out to sea is still low, so prices are about 30% higher than usual. Thanks to this, the first fishing trip of the year brings in about 10 million VND in revenue. After deducting fuel and labor costs, the boat still makes a profit, creating more confidence and enthusiasm for fishermen to venture out to sea in the new year.

On New Year's Day, sea shrimp fetched a high price of 300,000 VND/kg. Photo: Xuan Hoang.

According to local fishermen, at this time of year, many customers from the city who are returning to their hometowns for Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations come directly to the fishing port to buy fresh seafood, so the prices of shrimp, squid, catfish, etc., are higher than before Tet.

However, according to Mr. Vo Minh, Head of the Lach Van Fishing Port Management Board, on the 4th day of Tet (Lunar New Year), the number of fishermen going out to sea for the first time of the year was not large, only about 6 boats, so the catch was not high. It is expected that on the 6th day of Tet, most fishermen in the area will simultaneously go out to sea, and the catch will be higher.

For fishermen operating large-capacity fishing vessels in localities such as Quynh Phu commune, Tan Mai ward, and Cua Lo ward, in the early days of the new year, even before going out to sea, most of them choose auspicious times and days to start their engines, leave the port, make a round at sea, and then return.

Fisherman Tran Ho Suu, owner of the boat NA 96686 TS in Phu Nghia commune, said that because the fishing profession involves spending the whole year at sea, they are not in a hurry to go out to sea at the beginning of the new year, but only to observe the auspicious day.

In the early days of the new year, the crew members participate in festivals, sports competitions, etc., so they can "kick off" the first voyage of the year on the 8th day of the first lunar month, or after the 15th day of the first lunar month.

Lach Van fishing port is bustling with traders buying seafood. Photo: Xuan Hoang.

Mr. Ho Anh Son, manager of Lach Quen Fishing Port, said that with the belief that the first fishing trip of the year must be successful, offshore fishermen choose the most suitable time to set sail. Therefore, in the first days of the new year, they take the time to meticulously prepare their fishing gear and equipment, ensuring success every time they set sail.

Farmers head to the fields to tend to their spring crops.

In most localities throughout the province, from the lowlands to the mountainous areas, farmers went to the fields on the morning of the 4th day of Tet to take care of their spring crops.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phan, from Quy Lang hamlet, Giai Lac commune, said that since the morning of the third day of Tet (Lunar New Year), he had gone to the fields to check on his crops, with the aim of regulating irrigation water to prevent the fields from drying up and to inspect for pests and diseases.

Farmers went to the fields on the morning of the fourth day of Tet (Lunar New Year) to tend to their spring rice crop. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Mr. Phan said that this spring, his family planted 5 sao (approximately 0.5 hectares) of rice, completing the planting in mid-December, before the Lunar New Year. In the early days of spring, the whole family gathered in the fields to thin out the densely sown rice plants, replant in sparse areas and in areas damaged by rats, and apply fertilizer to ensure good rice growth.

Despite the cold weather during the planting season, the favorable post-Tet weather ensured uniform rice growth. This is the main crop of the year, so the family is paying special attention to its care to achieve the highest possible yield.

At this time, the spring rice crop is in the tillering stage, so timely care is needed. Photo: Xuan Hoang

In the fields of Minh Chau, Hop Minh, Do Luong, Quynh Luu, Dien Chau communes, the atmosphere of starting production at the beginning of the new year is equally bustling. Besides focusing on thinning and replanting rice seedlings, farmers are also checking for pests and diseases and regulating water appropriately. Local authorities in the crop-growing areas are also directing and advising farmers to harvest winter crops when they reach maturity; and to focus on caring for green vegetable crops to supply the market after Tet (Lunar New Year).

Ms. Tran Thi Kha, residing in Hamlet 7, Dien Chau Commune, said that this year's tomato crop initially fetched good prices, fluctuating around 15,000 VND/kg, but after Tet (Lunar New Year), the price dropped to 10,000 VND/kg. Despite the price drop, her family mobilized manpower to finish harvesting the tomato crop, ensuring both production and timely land preparation for planting other vegetables according to the production plan at the beginning of the year.

Quynh Anh commune is a coastal area with a strong advantage in specializing in the cultivation of various types of vegetables. From the beginning of the year, the people have been focusing on harvesting ripe vegetables and fruits while also diligently preparing the land and planting the new crop, ensuring a continuous and efficient production cycle.

Ms. Tran Thi Kha, residing in Hamlet 7, Dien Chau Commune, harvests tomatoes on the morning of the 4th day of Tet (Lunar New Year). Photo: Xuan Hoang

According to Mr. Ho Dang Tam, Director of the Quynh Bang General Agricultural Cooperative, before Tet (Lunar New Year), farmers in the commune not only harvested various green vegetables but also had a bumper crop of carrots at good prices. After Tet, they turned to preparing the land and planting spring onions to supply the market during the upcoming summer season.

Since spring onions can be grown and cared for for 45 days before harvesting, multiple crops can be grown each year. In previous years, they usually sold well in the summer, so farmers started production right from the beginning of the new year.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tien Duc, Head of the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, the province aims for a food production target of approximately 1.2 million tons in 2026; with nearly 709,000 tons targeted for the spring crop alone. To achieve this goal, the province plans to plant 91,000 hectares of rice, over 19,000 hectares of corn, 7,000 hectares of peanuts, 13,000 hectares of vegetables, and 940 hectares of sweet potatoes.

From the very first days of the new year, under the decisive direction of local authorities, farmers have simultaneously gone to the fields, competing in production across all agricultural sectors. The current focus is on completing the spring rice planting in mountainous areas; caring for the planted rice in lowland areas; and maintaining the production of winter crops, creating a solid foundation for a successful and sustainable agricultural year.

With the people's spirit of overcoming difficulties and adapting to the new situation, and their determination to start production right from the beginning of the year, agricultural production will achieve its set goals and make an important contribution to the overall socio -economic development of the province.

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Source: https://baonghean.vn/mong-4-tet-nong-dan-nghe-an-nhon-nhip-ra-dong-bam-bien-10324493.html