Farmers are sad because of rice prices, income is not enough to cover costs

GIÁ LÚA - Ảnh 1. — The fields in Hamlet 3, Ba Sao Commune, Dong Thap Province are harvesting the 2025 autumn-winter crop. Due to rain, some rice fields have fallen over - Photo: DANG TUYET

September 15, Tuoi Tre Online Recorded in the fields of Hamlet 3, Ba Sao Commune, Dong Thap Province, farmers are busy harvesting the 2025 autumn-winter rice crop. Last week there was a lot of rain, causing difficulties for farmers in the rice harvesting stages. Along with that, the low price of rice made farmers sad because the income was not enough to cover production costs.

Nông dân buồn rầu vì giá lúa, thu không đủ bù chi phí - Ảnh 2. — Mr. Bui Phuoc An is monitoring his family's rice harvest in Hamlet 3, Ba Sao Commune, Dong Thap Province - Photo: DANG TUYET

Sitting on the dike watching the rice cutting machine, Mr. Bui Phuoc An, resident of Ba Sao commune, Dong Thap province, calculated that with low yield and low rice price, but high cost of agricultural materials, the income would not be enough to cover the costs.

"My family is cultivating an area of about 5 hectares, the OM18 variety is sold to traders at 5,800 VND/kg. At the same time last year, the price of rice was more than 8,000 VND/kg, currently the price of rice is about 2,000 VND/kg lower, and about 1,000 VND/kg lower than the previous summer-autumn crop.

Meanwhile, the price of fertilizer and pesticides has increased, for example, the price of each bag of fertilizer is about 200,000 VND/bag different from the summer-autumn crop. On average, 1 hectare of rice costs about 40 million VND, but the yield is only about 6 tons, the price of 5,800 VND but it can be sold for nearly 35 million VND. I think the price of fertilizer, pesticides, agricultural materials and rice prices are not very suitable," said Mr. An.

GIÁ LÚA - Ảnh 3. — Traders weigh rice right after harvesting in the morning - Photo: DANG TUYET

Similarly, Mr. Tran Van Be Nho, Hamlet 3, Ba Sao Commune, Dong Thap Province said that he had just finished harvesting nearly 2 hectares of third-season rice a few days ago, the same variety OM18 but the selling price was only 5,700 VND/kg.

"I rarely invest in fertilizer and pesticides, so the yield is only 5 tons/ha. After selling the rice, I only break even, because the investment costs have eaten up all the money. This crop is considered a total loss. Luckily, I don't have any debt.

In previous years, on average, 2 hectares of rice also brought in a profit of 30 - 40 million VND/crop, and only in one crop did the rice price peak at 10,000 VND/kg, the profit was 70 - 80 million VND. It was my own land so I didn't lose money, but I didn't have the money to reinvest in the next crop," said Mr. Be Nho.

GIÁ LÚA - Ảnh 4. — Union carries rice onto boat - Photo: DANG TUYET

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Thap province, in the 2025 autumn-winter crop, the whole province planted 115,500 hectares, of which 35,600 hectares are ripening, 3,500 hectares have been harvested, with a yield of 6.3 tons/ha.

Rice prices recorded at the field this week continued to decrease compared to the previous week, and decreased by more than VND 2,000/kg compared to the same period last year. Specifically: IR50404 rice is VND 5,600/kg, down VND 300/kg and VND 2,200/kg compared to the same period last year; Dai Thom 8 rice is VND 6,150/kg, down VND 50/kg and VND 2,450/kg compared to the same period last year.

OM18 rice is priced at VND5,800/kg, down VND150 compared to last week and down VND2,600 compared to the same period last year; OM5451 rice is priced at VND5,700/kg, up VND100/kg and down VND2,500 compared to the same period last year; sticky rice is priced at VND6,750/kg, down VND550 compared to last week and down VND1,450/kg compared to the same period last year.