Winter-spring rice harvest is good, farmers still make good profit despite falling prices

Chau Thanh district is one of the largest rice growing areas in Tay Ninh province, with more than 13,000 hectares of winter-spring rice planted in the district in the 2024-2025 crop. Currently, many fields are entering the early harvest season.

Tay Ninh is entering the winter-spring rice harvest. Photo: Tran Trung.

Along the fields along the Vam Co Dong River, combine harvesters operate at full capacity, the sound of the engines rumbling, in the distance, farmers are busy collecting heavy bags of newly harvested rice, continuously bringing them to the riverside roads to sell to traders in time.

While busily transporting rice to shore waiting for traders to come and buy, Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh in Tri Binh commune, Chau Thanh district said that this crop his family is cultivating about 2 hectares of Dai Thom 8 rice variety. Every year, winter-spring is the most reliable crop, bringing the highest profit to farmers. This crop is estimated to yield 10 tons/ha, with the current rice price of 6,500 - 7,500 VND/kg, still bringing in a profit of 20 million VND/ha after deducting expenses.

Due to high productivity, despite the decrease in rice prices, farmers still have good profits. Photo: Tran Trung.

“Although the current rice price is not as high as before, thanks to favorable weather and few pests, the rice fields here have achieved good yields. With current prices and yields, most winter-spring rice growers still earn good profits,” said farmer Nguyen Van Thanh excitedly.

At An Binh Agricultural Service Cooperative (An Binh Commune, Chau Thanh District), members of the Cooperative are also very excited to harvest rice. Mr. Nguyen Van Luon, Director of the Cooperative, said that the Cooperative has over 30 members with a total cultivated area of ​​over 60 hectares. In the 2024-2025 winter-spring rice crop, the Cooperative will pilot the "Alternate wetting and drying - AWD" model with an area of ​​over 32 hectares under the guidance of the Tay Ninh Agricultural Extension Center.

Through implementation, it has been shown that this model saves more than 40% of water usage, reduces production costs by more than 5 million VND/ha, and increases rice productivity by about 10 - 20%. "In the upcoming summer-autumn crop, we will continue to coordinate with the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center to expand and mobilize members to participate in the large-scale field investment model to reduce costs and help farmers earn more income," said Mr. Nguyen Van Luon.

The alternating flooding and drying irrigation model saves more than 40% of water usage, reduces production costs by more than 5 million VND/ha, and increases rice productivity by 10-20%. Photo: Tran Trung.

Mr. Nguyen Van Lanh - a household participating in the model, excitedly said that his family has more than 1.5 hectares of OM 5451 rice variety. Currently, rice prices are decreasing, ranging from 5,500 - 6,100 VND/kg, 1,000 - 1,500 VND/kg lower than the same period, but with the model, farmers still have a good profit.

According to the Tay Ninh Agricultural Extension Center, the province has many advantages to develop rice production thanks to abundant water resources from the Vam Co River system, Dau Tieng Lake, Tha La Lake and a relatively complete irrigation system, helping to control the amount of water well, and farmers do not have to pay for water use. Currently, the rice area in Tay Ninh is about 150 thousand hectares (3 crops), rice has the highest mechanization rate in local cultivation (100% in land preparation, 65 - 80% in care, 95 - 100% in harvesting and transportation).

Tay Ninh replicates the model of "Smart rice cultivation with alternating flooding and drying". Photo: Contributor.

Mr. Ha Thanh Tung - Director of Tay Ninh Province Agricultural Extension Center said that rice is still an important crop, ensuring national food security in general as well as Tay Ninh in particular. Currently, the whole province has 30 collective economic organizations participating in rice production. In order to improve the competitiveness of the rice industry, the province is focusing on implementing a production and consumption chain.

“Cooperatives play a central role in mobilizing farmers to form large fields, while businesses support by applying scientific and technological advances, mechanizing production, consuming products and building brands. This is a sustainable direction to help improve productivity, quality and value of Tay Ninh rice industry in the future,” Mr. Ha Thanh Tung emphasized.

Source: https://nongnghiep.vn/lua-dong-xuan-duoc-mua-nong-dan-van-lai-kha-du-gia-giam-d745607.html