Farmers actively choose good rice seeds for summer – autumn crop

Mekong Delta farmers actively choose good rice seeds for summer – autumn crop because profit from rice production is at an ideal level.

Rice seed market in the Mekong Delta is currently very active when farmers start summer – autumn main crop. Photo: Hoang Vu.

Market bustles, price slightly increases

Right upon finishing harvest of 2020 – 2021 winter – spring crop, Mekong Delta farmers have carried on 2021 summer – autumn crop in the hope of a prolonged favourable rice price. Choosing rice seeds is the first job farmers need to do every crop. The rice seed market is more exciting when new crop comes.

Can Tho city has more than 124 units, households producing and supplying rice seeds with an output of over 52,700 tons/year to the market. Rice seed market for such households is not only in Can Tho but also in many other provinces in the Mekong Delta.

Since last autumn – winter crop, due to the increase in commodity rice price, rice seed price for 2021 summer – autumn crop has increased 2% - 3% higher than last year, such increase mainly focused on high – quality rice seed for export.

Retail price of many rice seeds in the market has been increasing from VND 500 – VND 1,000/kg against same period last year. Certified grades of Dai Thom 8, Jasmine 85 and VD 20 are being sold at retail price of VND 12,000 – VND 16,000/kg at many rice production units and households, prototypal grades ranging from VND 17,000 – VND 19,000/kg.

Certified grades of seeds such as IR 50404, OM 2517, OM 5451, OM 4218, OM 4900, OM 7347, OM 6976…are pricing from VND 10,000 to VND 15,000/kg, prototypal grades ranging from VND 14,000 – VND 18,000/kg.

According to Ms. Pham Thị Minh Hieu, Director of CanTho Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, over the past time, Can Tho city has actively supported and encouraged farmers to develop the production of delicious, high – quality and safe rice that meets market demand and to apply cultivation process and technology solutions for sustainable production and downside impact reduction on the environment.

Can Tho has over 86,000 ha of rice cultivation area, thanks to rice production of 3 crops every year, the total rice cultivation area can reach 220,000 – 230,000 ha/year with the output of more than 1,3 million tons/year. Most of which are high – quality aromatic rice resulting from farmers’ selection of high - quality seeds from the beginning of the crop.

Although rice cultivation area tends to shrink due to urbanization and restructuring of plants and animal breeding, the efficiency of land use for cultivation has improved, rice productivity and output have been well maintained thanks to the City’s active implementation of technical adjustment in rice production towards clean production and green development.

High demand for high - quality rice

According to Ms. Hieu, farmers should apply new technologies to reduce costs and increase profits. In 2020 summer – autumn crop, Can Tho has planted 77,000 ha of rice, in which high – quality aromatic rice such as OM 5451, Dai Thom 8, Jasmine 85, OM 18, OM 380, RVT, Jasmine 85, OM 4218, OM 380 account for about 84% of the total area.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Phuong, Director of Thot Not Agricultural Seed Cooperative in Thot Not district, Can Tho City said that in 2020 – 2021 winter – spring crop, farmers in Can Tho city and Mekong Delta paid much attention to the production of delicious high – quality rice in order to sell rice at good price, therefore the purchasing power of rice seeds focus on Dai Thom 8, Jasmine 85 and OM 5451…

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Hong, Director of Dong Thap Seed JSC (Doseco), farmers in the Mekong Delta are well aware of how production affects profitability.

The first important factor is to actively seek for good rice seeds at reasonable price so as to ensure production efficiency, at the same time connecting production with market demand and orders of businesses and consumption units instead of sowing rice seeds on trend.

Thin sowing is supported

In recent years, Mekong Delta farmers are well aware of using high – quality rice seeds for production and have participated in the program to reduce amount of sowing seed in rice production launched by the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development, together with large field cultivation, farmers have clearly seen the advantages of thin sowing with enough seeds as recommended.

From the beginning of the year, the commodity rice price is always high, profit from rice production is at an ideal level, so farmers boldly invest in buying good seeds for sowing. Moreover, the application of thin sowing process has led to a sharp decrease in seed amount, thus helping farmers save costs for rice seeds.

Kien Giang is the province with largest rice production area in the Mekong Delta and a total cultivated area of over 700,000 ha/year (over 280,000 ha/crop) so that rice seed demand for sowing is quite large.

To meet the demand of rice seeds for production, Kien Giang Breeding Centre for Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery has planned to produce and supply from 3,500 – 4,000 tons of rice seeds, in which focusing on high – yield rice seeds of good quality for processing for export as recommended by agricultural sector.