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Three times the seeds were sown, and all three times they failed. The seeds that the people of Thuan Hoa, Hoa Chau ward (Hue City) had placed so much hope in still couldn't take root or sprout. On many summer-autumn rice fields, instead of rows of green, hopeful young rice plants, only barren mud remains, along with the heavy hearts of the farmers.

The rice fields were abandoned because the rice died after three planting attempts.

The worry lingers in the fields.

Arriving at the Bau Ha area, Thuan Hoa residential group, Hoa Chau ward, we witnessed a somber atmosphere enveloping the fields. Standing beside his rice paddies, which had just been replanted for the third time, Mr. Dang Duy Trung could not hide his worry. He said that never before had the locality experienced such a massive rice crop failure as this summer-autumn season.

"Up until now, people still don't know why the rice is dying. The fields are being watered adequately, and all production techniques are being followed as in previous years. Yet the rice just sprouts and then gradually dies. This has never happened in many years," Trung shared.

According to many locals, the seeds germinated normally a few days after sowing. However, when the rice plants grew to the height of a finger, they began to turn yellow and gradually die. The sparse patches of rice in the fields made the farmers even more anxious.

For each plot of land, farmers need to use about 7kg of seeds for sowing. With the current seed price of around 11,000 VND/kg, the seed cost per plot is not too high. However, for households cultivating dozens of plots of land, having to sow seeds multiple times significantly increases the overall cost.

For example, a household with 10 sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of rice fields needs about 70 kg of seeds for each sowing. If they have to sow three times, the amount of seeds consumed will reach over 200 kg (more than 2 million VND). However, what worries farmers even more is not just the cost of seeds, but the effort and time invested.

Mr. Dang Duy Phung, a resident of Thuan Hoa neighborhood, said that having to sow and replant multiple times has delayed production by about two weeks compared to the plan. “The summer-autumn crop depends heavily on the weather. If we prolong the planting time, the risk of encountering storms and heavy rain at the end of the season will be very high. The rice might not even be ready for harvest before natural disasters strike, causing even more severe damage,” Mr. Phung worried.

Sleepless nights in the fields

Besides facing the problem of unusually dying rice crops, the people of Thuan Hoa also have to struggle against rat infestations. As soon as the seeds are sown in the fields, the farmers begin sleepless nights guarding their crops. From dusk until dawn the next day, they carry flashlights and tools to repel rats in order to protect the fruits of their labor.

According to Mr. Dang Quy Trung, the first 10 days after sowing are the most difficult. Farmers practically have to "eat and sleep in the fields." "Each night we only get a little sleep before having to wake up to check. Rats appear constantly. If we don't guard them, in just one night they can destroy a large area of ​​newly sown rice," Mr. Trung said.

Despite the significant damage caused by rats, the local people remain resolute in their refusal to use dangerous electric traps. Most households opt for manual methods such as digging burrows, setting mechanical traps, or directly driving them away.

They understand that using electricity to trap rats may be effective immediately, but it poses a significant risk to human and animal life. In previous years, the city has experienced several tragic accidents related to electric rat traps, leaving behind many painful lessons.

Choose ultra-short-duration rice varieties for replanting.

Repeated crop failures are putting many households in a dilemma. Continuing to sow means incurring additional costs and effort while the cause of the rice crop failure remains unknown. However, if they stop sowing, the entire crop will be lost, and people's lives will become very difficult.

According to Mr. Dang Duy Trung, many rice fields in the area have been abandoned after numerous failed planting attempts. The fields, once lush and green each season, are now barren, revealing cracked soil under the summer sun. This situation not only affects the income of individual households but also impacts the overall agricultural production of the locality if not addressed promptly.

According to Mr. Le Van Anh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hue City, in response to the unusual rice crop failure, the agricultural sector is coordinating with local authorities to urgently assess the situation, inspect the fields, and determine the cause in order to take appropriate remedial measures.

The city's Department of Agriculture and Environment also advises people to regularly monitor developments in their fields. If they notice continued rice crop failure or other unusual signs, they should immediately report it to the local authorities and the department for timely inspection and assessment.

For areas affected by damage, the agricultural sector encourages the use of ultra-short-duration rice varieties for replanting to shorten the growing season and ensure it aligns with the summer-autumn crop schedule. After the rice plants have stabilized, farmers should focus on proper care, balanced fertilization, and spraying pesticides at the right time and with the correct techniques to create favorable conditions for the rice plants to grow well, flower, and be harvested according to plan.

Source : vietnam