Flexibility in winter crop production

To compensate for losses in agricultural production caused by storm No. 3 in the 2024 winter crop, localities need to focus on expanding the planting area, arranging appropriate crop timing and variety structure, and synchronously applying technical measures to increase productivity and output; at the same time, promote linkages to create more economic value for farmers, especially areas damaged by rain and floods...

Hung Ha farmers grow winter corn.

Winter crop production plays an important role, taking advantage of the production area to contribute to increasing people's income, ensuring local food needs, serving livestock. In particular, winter crops have a very potential consumer market, many types can be processed for export such as potatoes, tomatoes, baby melons, chili, sweet corn, soybeans... Therefore, for many years, localities in the province have always focused on winter crop production.

Striving to reach 180 hectares of winter-spring crop area, these days, farmers in An Chau commune (Dong Hung) are urgently harvesting the winter-spring rice crop, making beds and planting pots for melons and squash. Due to their extensive experience in agricultural production, every year, people in the commune are always proactive in planting, selecting seeds, sowing pots... applying techniques to farming to overlap crops, increase productivity and quality of agricultural products.

Growing 1.5 hectares of cucumbers and pumpkins in the winter crop, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan, An Lap village said: Growing cucumbers and pumpkins is hard at first because we have to regularly check and prevent some insects and pests, but it has a short growing period, high productivity, and economic efficiency 3-4 times higher than rice cultivation. After harvesting rice, we rent a plow to make ridges, add manure, and place the previously sown pots on the banks. Cucumbers and pumpkins are grown in dry winter fields, so there is no need to build trellises, so the plants can grow out on the surface of the field.

With the characteristics of geographical location, soil, and production level of each region, each locality in the province is choosing a suitable direction to increase the value of winter crop production. Therefore, concentrated and specialized production areas are prioritized by localities for planting with advantages, such as: corn, soybeans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, various vegetables and beans... In 2024, Vu Thu district strives to plant 5,300 hectares of winter crops. Of which, corn is 700 hectares; potatoes are 350 hectares; melons and squash are 300 hectares; sweet potatoes are 200 hectares; vegetables of all kinds are 3,750 hectares.

Mr. Bui Gia Khanh, Deputy Head of the District's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: To encourage people to produce, the district has a support mechanism for two main crops: sticky corn and potatoes. Accordingly, individuals and households buying sticky corn seeds through agricultural cooperatives to plant 2 hectares or more on fertile land, 1 hectare on land after harvesting the winter-spring rice crop will be supported with VND 3,360,000/ha, equivalent to VND 120,000/sao, with a seed quantity of 14kg/ha; buying imported potato seeds to plant in the winter-spring crop through agricultural cooperatives in the communes of Vu Tien, Nguyen Xa, Song An, Minh Quang, Tan Phong, Tan Hoa, Phuc Thanh, Song Lang will be supported with VND 10,080,000/ha, equivalent to VND 360,000/sao, with a seed quantity of 1,120kg/ha. In addition, implementing the province's support mechanism for winter crop production and overcoming the damage caused by storm No. 3 and rain and floods, the district is compiling registrations for support for potato and waxy corn seeds from localities. It is expected that the whole district will expand about 200 hectares of corn and 50 hectares of potatoes to compensate for the damage and impact caused by storms and floods. The district directs communes to urge people to urgently harvest rice and plant winter crops when the weather is favorable.

Winter crop production in recent years has often encountered many difficulties due to unfavorable weather, affecting people's psychology in investing in intensive farming and expanding acreage. This year, the whole province strives to plant over 36,600 hectares of various winter crops. To compensate for agricultural production losses caused by storm No. 3, the 2024 winter crop, localities need to focus on expanding the planting area, arranging appropriate crop timing and variety structure, and synchronously applying technical measures to increase productivity and output; at the same time, promoting linkages to create more economic value for farmers, especially areas damaged by rain and floods... The Provincial People's Committee has decided to support funding for developing winter crop production in 2024 and overcoming damage caused by storm No. 3 and rain and floods with a support level of VND 500,000/ha.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: In order to achieve the set target for winter crop production, the agricultural sector requires localities to mobilize maximum means and human resources to quickly harvest ripe rice, and prepare the land for winter crop cultivation as soon as possible. Make pots and grow seeds of warm-loving winter crops, take advantage of potting them in the fields when the weather permits to plant them in the best time frame (before October 5); prepare seeds and select cold-loving crops with advantages in Thai Binh (potatoes, sweet radishes, cabbage, herbs, etc.) to plant to serve the domestic market and export. At the same time, review and maximize the planting area, prioritizing short-term crops that can be harvested early to serve daily needs, increase land use coefficient and income for people.