Potential risks from rice varieties of unknown origin

In many highland markets in the province, traders have been selling rice varieties of unknown origin. Many people have chosen to buy rice varieties with packaging in foreign languages, posing many potential risks to production.

Coming to Lung Khau Nhin market (Muong Khuong district), it is not difficult to see the situation of traders selling rice varieties with packaging printed in foreign languages ​​(Chinese). It is worth mentioning that these rice varieties are sold openly, accounting for a high proportion of the stalls, but the packaging does not have a secondary label in Vietnamese. People choose to buy these rice varieties mainly based on "trust" through the images printed on the packaging, by their senses and the traders' introductions.

Mr. Lu A Sang, a resident of Lung Khau Nhin commune, said: Although I don't know foreign languages, I still chose to buy 2 kg of seeds to try planting because the picture on the package is beautiful. The seller introduced this as a new rice variety, high yield, sticky rice, delicious rice, if the quality is good, I will plant the entire rice field in the next year's rice crop.

According to a trader selling plant varieties at Lung Khau Nhin market, these rice varieties were imported from across the border by hand, not through an official importer.

Hand-carried rice varieties without Vietnamese labels are openly sold to people at markets.

Similarly, at Can Cau market (Si Ma Cai district), there are dozens of stalls selling rice seeds with packaging printed in Chinese characters and no Vietnamese labels. The stalls sell openly, some sell separately, but many also mix them with bags of domestically produced rice seeds.

While working at the market, when approaching the stalls selling plant seeds to take pictures of rice seed bags with Chinese packaging, we were often "politely chased away" by the vendors or asked not to take pictures of their stalls.

In addition to Lung Khau Nhin market and Can Cau market, according to a survey by Lao Cai Newspaper reporters, in many other highland markets (especially markets in border communes), the widespread sale of rice varieties of unknown origin has been going on for many years but has not been completely handled by authorities, sectors, and localities.

The purchase and use of rice varieties of unknown origin and origin pose many potential risks to production, especially in the single-crop rice area in the highlands. The biggest risk is crop failure and reduced productivity and output, because these rice varieties have not been tested and proven to be suitable for production conditions in the province. Rice varieties that are not officially imported, do not have Vietnamese labels, and have not been recognized for circulation, are at risk of not ensuring quality for production.

Mr. Ngo Quyen, Deputy Head of the Provincial Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection.

According to Mr. Ngo Quyen, Deputy Head of the Provincial Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection, the control and handling of the sale of goods of unknown origin, including rice varieties, first belongs to the market management board and local authorities. The Department will coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development inspectorate and relevant agencies to tighten the management of varieties; strengthen inspection, control and handling of the sale of rice varieties and other plant varieties in the province.

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