Mekong Delta famers rush to harvest rice against complex flooding

Farmers in Vinh Gia commune, Tri Ton district, An Giang province harvest rice against the flood. (Photo: NDO/Huynh Xay)

In Long An province, the total area of winter-spring rice is approximately 22,576 ha. Of which, roughly 17,476 hectares of rice are within protective dykes and around 5,100 ha are likely to be affected by the floods.

Farmers in Tan Hung and Tan Thanh districts, as well as those in Kien Tuong township, have harvested 5,740 ha. It is expected that the harvest will be boosted by the end of September and finished by mid-October.

In Thap Muoi district, Dong Thap province, many dykes are likely to be affected by floods, so for the crops that have ripened to at least 80%, the local authorities have mobilised farmers to make an early harvest.

To date, more than 5,600 ha of rice has been harvested, concentrated in the communes of Thanh Loi, Hung Thanh, Truong Xuan, Phu Dien, Thanh My and My Quy.

In An Giang province, of the roughly 111,000 ha of winter-spring rice cultivation area, 8,000 ha are located outside the dyke system of Tri Ton district and are the most vulnerable to floods.

The Tri Ton authorities have mobilised means and human forces to reinforce embankments in an attempt to protect the rice crops. The staff concerned have joined the local farmers to harvest the ripe rice as soon as possible in order to minimise the damage caused by floods./.

NDO