Safe and efficient production, increasing rice value

Positive effects

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Manh, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection (PPP) - Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MARD), commented: “In recent times, the Government has issued many mechanisms, policies, and orientations for agricultural development; with the strong leadership and direction of the MARD and the close coordination of units under the Ministry, departments, branches, and localities, crop production and plant protection in 2025 in the Mekong Delta region have maintained stable development, ensuring the set goals and plans.

In particular, according to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Manh, the application of information technology in propaganda, training, and guiding farmers to change farming practices and comply with technical recommendations has helped to gradually reduce input materials such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, etc., which has contributed to minimizing damage caused by pests, floods, droughts, and saltwater intrusion. The work of converting crop structures, shifting crop seasons, and forecasting harmful organisms, monitoring changes in water quality for irrigation has been maintained regularly, promptly, and with increasing accuracy, creating conditions for farmers to be more proactive in production and risk prevention. Thereby, rice production has achieved quite high productivity.

According to the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, the Mekong Delta plays a key role in national rice production. In 2025, the rice area is estimated to reach 4.012 million hectares, the output is 26.12 million tons, the yield is 63.43 quintals/ha. Compared to 2024, the area increased by 2,740 hectares, the output increased by 183,000 tons, the yield increased by 0.4 quintals/ha. The structure of crop varieties continues to shift towards high quality and specialty fragrant rice. The conversion of crop structure on rice land is promoted with about 38,700 hectares, mainly to annual crops, perennial crops and rice-aquaculture models.

Currently, localities in the Mekong Delta are focusing on autumn-winter rice production with a plan to sow 708,600 hectares, a decrease of 9,230 hectares compared to the same period in 2024. To date, the whole region has sown over 500,000 hectares, reaching 77% of the plan. Of which, Vinh Long and Tay Ninh provinces have harvested early autumn-winter rice with an area of over 14,000 hectares. The Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection recommends that in September and October, localities focus on directing the completion of sowing the remaining autumn-winter rice of about 213,000 hectares. Of which, 115,000 hectares are concentrated in Vinh Long and Ca Mau provinces. Due to the specific coastal conditions of the localities, the autumn-winter crop is often sown late, not affected by floods, upstream water flows...

Need a safe solution

According to the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, in recent years, the Department has proposed and oriented the structure of rice varieties produced according to ecological sub-regions in the Mekong Delta in accordance with the structure of exported varieties. The rate of use of aromatic and high-quality rice varieties has increased, meeting the requirements of the rice export market; at the same time, the structure of rice varieties in recent years has tended to shift from aromatic, specialty, and glutinous varieties to high-quality varieties suitable for soil conditions... However, rice production in the Mekong Delta is still subject to many impacts of climate change and extreme weather.

Can Tho City's Department of Agriculture applies digital technology to rice production in Co Do commune.

Typically, the winter-spring crop of 2024-2025 will still experience drought and saltwater intrusion, but at a small level and scale; the summer-autumn and autumn-winter crops will be affected by heavy rain, storms, and strong winds, causing localized flooding, making it difficult to care for and harvest crops and affecting crop productivity and quality. Input prices (fertilizers, pesticides, seeds) remain high due to fluctuations in the global supply chain, increasing production costs and reducing farmers' profits. Meanwhile, the agricultural product consumption market is under pressure from international competition, many new strict trade regulations, requiring traceability, leading to difficulties in meeting markets, unstable selling prices, affecting product output...

From the above difficulties, the Agriculture and Environment sector has proposed solutions for safe and quality production and reduced input costs... Mr. Nguyen Quoc Manh said: “In the coming time, the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection will focus on synchronously implementing agricultural development projects associated with restructuring the sector towards sustainability. In particular, prioritizing the crop production project to reduce emissions in the period of 2025-2035 when approved; promoting the conversion of crop structure on rice land to other crops or aquaculture with higher economic and ecological efficiency, contributing to restructuring the agricultural sector; enhancing the application of scientific and technological advances in production”.

According to the plan, in 2026, the Mekong Delta will produce rice on a total area of over 4 million hectares, equivalent to the same period, with an output of 20,700 tons higher than in 2025. The 2025-2026 winter-spring crop is expected to produce about 1.5 million hectares of rice, with an output of 11.51 million tons. Localities will base on the actual harvest season of the 2025 autumn-winter crop and the arrangement of the 2026 rice production season; based on the water resources situation, drought forecasts, and saline intrusion to arrange flexible and appropriate crop schedules. Only arrange winter-spring rice production in 2025-2026 in areas with 3 months of fresh water supply, at least 2.5 months of fresh water until the rice plants are full of milk, especially there must be enough fresh water to supply rice in the final stage.

Recently, at the conference to review crop production and plant protection in 2025 and deploy the winter-spring crop plan for 2025-2026 in the southern provinces and cities, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Hoang Trung requested localities to urgently harvest summer-autumn rice and winter-spring rice to limit damage caused by storms; review and adjust the winter-spring crop plan for 2025-2026 according to climate conditions, comply with the crop time frame to avoid planthoppers and drought and salinity. Proactively store fresh water, strengthen irrigation, closely coordinate with the Hydrometeorological Station to update agricultural weather bulletins, and provide timely information to producers.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Hoang Trung requested units under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to closely monitor and protect the production of autumn-winter rice and the 2025 summer-autumn crop; coordinate with functional sectors to inspect varieties, fertilizers, and pesticides, ensuring safety and quality for production; promote training in IPM, IPHM, disseminate technical advances, develop organic fertilizers, save fertilizers and use pesticides according to the "4 rights" principle (right medicine, right dose - concentration, right time, right way)... Delineate areas affected by floods, droughts, and saltwater intrusion to proactively respond; continue to implement linkage models, reduce production costs, replicate rice production models to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change.

Article and photos: HA VAN

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/san-xuat-an-toan-hieu-qua-nang-cao-gia-tri-lua-gao-a190961.html