Farmers rescue rice paddies following storm in Vietnams Mekong Delta

Women stand downed rice in a field in Tien Giang Province, southern Vietnam, November 27, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Many farmers in a coastal region of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta were busy on Tuesday saving their rice crops from the effects of a recent storm.

Nearly 10,000 out of 28,000 hectares of paddy fields in Tien Giang Province, about 70 kilometers south of Ho Chi Minh City, had rice downed by strong winds and heavy rain brought along by typhoon Usagi, according to figures by the provincial agriculture department.

While the storm, which caused a deluge in Ho Chi Minh City on the weekend, did not make landfall on Tien Giang, its location was close enough to wreak peripheral havoc on the rice crops here.

More rice fields were knocked down in areas nearer to the sea.

The impact was tremendous as most of the damaged crops were just under two weeks to harvest.

Many farmers said the blow was to cause losses, or break-even results in the most optimistic scenario.

To rectify the situation, they were utilizing machines to drain their fields and hiring laborers to tie rice in groups so that the plants could stand upright again.

The ‘rescue’ is crucial, given that ripe rice grains are likely to be damaged or produce seedlings when soaked.

Hiring the laborers meant the farmers had to cover greater costs, in addition to the expenses for pesticide and harvest, which make up a large part of their agricultural spending.