Many pressures arise during the summer-autumn rice planting season.

(GLO) - In the early days of the summer-autumn rice crop season, farmers in Gia Lai are urgently preparing the land and sowing seeds according to the seasonal schedule, proactively securing water resources to cope with the risk of drought. However, in the context of predicted unfavorable weather and rising prices of agricultural supplies, farmers are facing significant pressure right from the start of the season.

Cost pressures weigh heavily at the start of the season.

According to the Provincial Meteorological and Hydrological Station, from May to July 2026, temperatures in the area may be 0.5-1°C higher than the multi-year average; rainfall, especially in the eastern region, is forecast to be deficient, putting significant pressure on water resources for production.

People in Tuy Phuoc Dong commune plow the land and sow rice seeds for the 2026 Summer-Autumn crop. Photo: Provided.

In response to this situation, the provincial Department of Agriculture has developed a flexible planting schedule for each region to avoid drought and utilize existing water resources. In the eastern region, summer rice planting was completed before April 25th; autumn planting is concentrated from May 1st to 15th.

In the West, farmers begin sowing from May 20th and finish before June 30th in areas with irrigation systems; rain-fed areas will sow according to the first rains of the season and complete planting in July.

The crop structure has also been adjusted to prioritize short-day varieties to shorten the growing season and avoid the peak of the hot season. As of May 11th, the entire province had sown more than 5,314 hectares out of a total planned 41,275 hectares.

Besides the lack of irrigation water, the sharp increase in agricultural input prices is causing concern among farmers. Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha (Tuy Phuoc commune) said that her family is preparing to sow nearly 7 acres of rice this season, but the investment costs have increased significantly compared to last year.

"The price of oil has risen, so the cost of plowing has also increased. The prices of fertilizers and pesticides have also gone up, while the price of rice remains low. The total cost for this season has increased by about 20-30% compared to the previous season, making it very difficult for farmers to cope," sighed Mrs. Ha.

According to Mr. Tran Nguyen Huy, Director of the Central Region Branch of Phuoc Hung Fertilizer Company, the increase in fertilizer prices is due to escalating global input material prices under the impact of the Middle East conflict.

Currently, urea fertilizer is priced at 855-860 thousand VND/50 kg bag, an increase of about 150 thousand VND compared to the same period last year. NPK fertilizer is priced at about 1.03 million VND/bag, an increase of about 200 thousand VND... Meanwhile, the price of pesticides has also increased slightly, while rice seeds remain relatively stable, with some varieties even experiencing a slight decrease.

Proactive response to drought and pest outbreaks.

Many localities in the province have proactively implemented solutions to cope with the difficulties. In An Hao commune, as of May 11th, farmers had sown approximately 30 hectares out of a total of over 605 hectares of summer-autumn rice.

Mr. Vo Duy Tin, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said that the locality is exploiting water resources from My Duc, Hoi Long, and Dap Chua lakes, and operating more than 10 electric pumping stations to ensure irrigation water for most of the cultivated area.

For the more than 20 hectares where water supply is difficult to manage, the local authorities have guided people to switch to growing corn, peanuts, and watermelons in order to maintain production efficiency.

In Chu A Thai commune, farmers have just completed harvesting the winter-spring crop with a yield of about 7 tons/ha, similar to last year. The locality is urgently preparing to plant about 1,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice from the end of May to the beginning of June.

According to Mr. Pham Van Luong, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, the water supply from Ayun Ha Lake remains stable, allowing people to confidently engage in production. Some areas have also been converted to other crops to diversify production and reduce irrigation pressure.

Pumping stations are proactively supplying water to people sowing the 2026 Summer-Autumn rice crop in An Nhon ward. Photo: Provided.

According to Mr. Ho Nguyen Si, Chairman and Director of Binh Dinh Irrigation Works Exploitation Company Limited, as of May 11th, the 63 reservoirs managed by the company are accumulating 442/638 million ^cubic meters of water, reaching 69.4% of their designed capacity.

This amount of water basically meets the water supply needs for 36,862 hectares of land used for the summer-autumn crop and provides raw water for domestic water treatment plants.

However, if the drought persists and there is no rain throughout the season, 12 reservoirs still face the risk of water shortage for irrigation. Of these, 6 reservoirs can receive water from nearby facilities, while the remaining 6 are at risk of water shortage at the end of the season, affecting approximately 200 hectares of agricultural land.

To mitigate risks, the unit has implemented water regulation according to irrigation schedules, dredged canals, controlled daily water usage needs, and prepared to utilize dead storage capacity when necessary.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/nhieu-ap-luc-khi-vao-vu-lua-he-thu-post587024.html