About 260,000 ha of rice will be transformed into other crops between now and 2015 under a plan recently adopted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

According to the plan on transformation of crop structure on rice growing areas in the 2014-2020 period, next year, the Mekong Delta will change its cultivation model from growing rice to both rice and other crops in combination with aquatic breeding.

Meanwhile, the Red River Delta, northern mountainous and midland, and northern central regions will shift from rice to other crops such as corn, soybean, sesame, peanut and vegetables.

In the 2014-2020 period, corn and other crops will be grown instead of rice in 105,000 ha in the southern central coastal region and 15,000 ha in the Central Highlands region.

The southeastern region will switch from growing rice to those with high economic values such as flower, ornamental trees and safe vegetables.

The transformation of crop structure must ensure that all factors suitable to rice growing are maintained and transformed crops have higher competitiveness and economic efficiency than rice.-VNA