Nearly 1,400 billion VND to prevent salinity for durian export areas

Tien Giang province's agricultural sector has invested about VND1,380 billion in irrigation projects to prevent salinity in durian growing areas for export.

According to information from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tien Giang province, this locality is currently actively investing in the construction of 6 saltwater prevention sluices at the beginning of canals and ditches leading to Tien River on Provincial Road 864, and at the same time completing the dike along Tien River to prevent saltwater intrusion, store fresh water, protect nearly 100,000 hectares of agricultural land and provide stable domestic water supply for nearly 1.1 million people in Tien Giang and Long An provinces.

Mr. Nguyen Van Man, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tien Giang province, said that since the beginning of the 2023-2024 dry season, the locality has estimated a budget of about VND 1,380 billion to invest in these irrigation projects. Currently, a number of key irrigation projects have been basically completed and can be put into operation. However, localities in areas heavily affected by saltwater still need to proactively monitor closely the changes in water quality, water levels, and salinity on canals and in the fields during the dry season to have effective response measures in the coming months.

Gần 1.400 tỷ đồng ngăn mặn cho vùng sầu riêng xuất khẩu

About 2,500 hectares of durian in Tien Giang are at risk of being affected by saltwater intrusion during the dry season.

According to Mr. Man, currently, in Tien Giang, especially in Cai Lay district, there are about 4,750 hectares of fruit gardens; of which there are 2,500 hectares of durian, 2,000 hectares of dragon fruit, the rest are other crops located in areas at high risk of being affected by natural disasters and saltwater intrusion. The locality has requested gardeners and farmers to spread out the treatment to avoid the time when fruit-bearing trees are affected by natural disasters, which will cause exhaustion and unpredictable damage.

It is known that, in addition to the salinity prevention projects invested and implemented by Tien Giang province, localities with key deep-growing areas in this province (such as Ngu Hiep commune, Tan Phong commune, Tam Binh commune - Cai Lay district) have also proactively allocated a budget of 7-15 billion VND to invest in temporary dams and repair sluices in the area, ensuring salinity prevention and protecting high-value durian export material areas.

Regarding the durian export material area, it is known that Tien Giang is currently one of the provinces with the largest growing area of this fruit in the country with an area of over 17,600 hectares, an output of over 300,000 tons/year. This province also has about 70 durian packaging facilities that have been granted official export codes to the Chinese market with an area of 2,400 hectares.

In 2023, credit institutions in Tien Giang also focused on lending to businesses, gardeners, cooperatives growing, processing, and exporting durian. As of the middle of last year, the total outstanding loans for the durian industry in Cai Lay, Cai Be, Chau Thanh districts and Cai Lay town had reached about 2,900 billion VND with nearly 10,000 borrowers. Cai Lay district and Cai Lay town are the localities with the largest outstanding loans for the durian industry in Tien Giang. Most of the borrowers are individuals and households borrowing for the purpose of renovating durian gardens and purchasing, consuming, and serving processing for export.

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