Farmers in Yen Mo are busily harvesting the winter-spring rice crop.

Currently, nearly 6,400 hectares of winter-spring rice in Yen Mo district are ripening. To ensure a successful harvest, avoid the impact of storms and heavy rain, and free up land for the summer crop, farmers in the district are concentrating manpower and machinery to speed up the harvesting process.

From early morning, the fields of Yen Hoa Cooperative (Yen Hoa commune) resounded with the sounds of harvesting machines and people calling out to each other. Along the internal field roads, farmers busily gathered and transported rice home to dry.

Mr. Hoang Van Hop, from Trinh Nu village, happily stated: "This season, my family's 9 sao (approximately 0.9 hectares) of rice, planted using the new variety and new techniques, has yielded outstanding productivity and quality. According to Mr. Hop, this is the first year he has introduced the new variety and used organic fertilizer, but the difference is already evident. The rice plants are stronger, healthier, and less susceptible to pests and diseases; the panicles are longer, with more grains, and the grains are bright, uniform, and plump. The estimated average yield is about 2.5 quintals per sao."

Sharing in the joy of a bountiful harvest, Ms. Doan Thi Hue from Lac Hien village said: "This year, there were many pests and diseases, but thanks to the cooperative's guidance and timely spraying, the rice is still beautiful, with each ear full of grains. My family planted nearly 2 acres, and we've basically finished harvesting. Compared to last year, we have about 20 sacks of rice left over."

This winter-spring season, Yen Hoa commune is considered one of the communes with the highest rice yields in Yen Mo district. The local authorities have deployed nearly a dozen combine harvesters to each village, organizing simultaneous harvesting in a staggered manner, ensuring that each field and each village is neatly harvested.

According to Mr. Vu Khac Hai, Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yen Hoa Cooperative, this year's winter-spring crop, thanks to effective pest and disease control, has resulted in fairly uniform growth and development of the local rice crop, with yields generally higher than other localities.

In particular, this season, the cooperative is implementing a new rice seed production model using new techniques, following an organic approach, on an area of over 46 hectares, with 275 households participating. With this model, farmers receive partial support for seeds and organic fertilizers, and detailed guidance on planting, cultivation, and pest control techniques, resulting in increased yields of approximately 2 quintals/hectare compared to conventional production. This is a positive sign for the cooperative to continue expanding the model in the future. Currently, the cooperative is focusing on accelerating progress, striving to complete the harvest before June 5th, and preparing the necessary conditions for the summer crop production.

Like farmers in Yen Hoa commune, people in Yen Thang commune are also busy harvesting rice these days. However, many households say that the rice yield is not as expected. While quickly drying his rice, Mr. Nguyen Ky (Van Du Ha hamlet, Yen Thang commune) said: "My family planted 5 sao (approximately 0.5 hectares) of rice, and compared to last year, we're 5-7 sacks less. The reason is due to pests and diseases, especially the small leaf-rolling caterpillar, which appeared in excessively high densities. My family was negligent and didn't spray pesticides in time, causing the leaves to turn white and reducing the yield. However, the current rice price is good, fluctuating from 10-11 thousand dong/kg, 2 thousand dong/kg higher than the same period last year."

In the 2024 Winter-Spring crop season, Yen Mo district planted nearly 6,400 hectares of rice. A highlight of this production season was the shift in crop structure by localities towards reducing the area of hybrid rice and increasing the area of high-quality rice and glutinous rice; while also increasing the proportion of transplanted rice and reducing the proportion of direct-seeded rice.

Furthermore, the provincial and district policies supporting agricultural and rural economic development have contributed to promoting synchronized mechanization in all stages of production, forming production fields based on value chains and organic farming practices. The entire district has 240 hectares of rice paddies, of which 70 hectares are planted using machinery.

According to Ms. Le Thi Linh, Deputy Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Yen Mo District: This year, the weather has been complex, and pests and diseases have emerged and caused damage at much higher densities than the average of previous years. However, the district has directed specialized units, communes, towns, and agricultural cooperatives to promptly monitor, anticipate, forecast, and guide farmers in effectively implementing pest and disease control measures, thereby minimizing damage caused by pests and diseases. Preliminary assessments indicate that the average rice yield throughout the district is estimated at 67.8 quintals/hectare, an increase of 0.15 quintals/hectare compared to the 2023 Winter-Spring crop. Areas producing organically and using new varieties have yielded high productivity, ranging from 68-69 quintals/hectare, and even exceeding 70 quintals/hectare in some places.

As of June 1st, approximately 60% of the district's rice crop has been harvested. Local authorities are continuing to urge farmers to take advantage of favorable weather conditions, mobilizing maximum manpower, machinery, and equipment to accelerate the harvesting of the winter-spring rice crop. They are also focusing on drying and processing the rice to minimize post-harvest losses and ensure rice quality. Simultaneously, preparations are underway for the summer crop, with the principle of immediately preparing the land and starting summer crop production as soon as the winter-spring harvest is completed.

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