The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) held aconference in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang onSeptember 10, looking into the production of certified rice seeds in theregion.
MARD’s Department of Crop Productionreported that certified rice seeds accounted for 15 percent of ricevarieties grown in the Mekong Delta, meaning that a large number ofcrops grown came from low quality seeds, thus affecting the entireregion’s rice quality and productivity.
The MekongDelta Rice Research Institute was recently tasked with connectingfarmers to businesses producing and supplying certified rice seeds.
The project is set to cover more than 2,000ha of farmland with atargeted output of 5 tonnes per hectare, increasing the rate ofcertified rice seeds used in the region to 50 – 55 percent by 2016.
Dr. Tran Ngoc Thach, Deputy Director of the institute, said nineMekong Delta localities have planted close to 550ha of certified riceseeds for this year’s summer-autumn crop, with an average output of 5.3tonnes per hectare.
He hoped the project willprovide more than 2,800 tonnes of high-quality certified rice seeds forthe approaching autumn-winter and winter-spring crops.
During the conference, participants also pointed out a number ofbarriers to the project’s expansion, such as a shortage of funding andhigh production costs.
They said in order to realisethe 2016 target, local authorities need to help farmers and businessesaccess loans with concessional terms and provide them with pricesubsidies, while encouraging companies to export rice grown fromcertified seeds.
Meanwhile, MARD Deputy Minister LeQuoc Doanh asked the Department of Crop Production to revamp Vietnam’srice cultivation to avoid too many varieties being planted in the MekongDelta region.-VNA
MARD’s Department of Crop Productionreported that certified rice seeds accounted for 15 percent of ricevarieties grown in the Mekong Delta, meaning that a large number ofcrops grown came from low quality seeds, thus affecting the entireregion’s rice quality and productivity.
The MekongDelta Rice Research Institute was recently tasked with connectingfarmers to businesses producing and supplying certified rice seeds.
The project is set to cover more than 2,000ha of farmland with atargeted output of 5 tonnes per hectare, increasing the rate ofcertified rice seeds used in the region to 50 – 55 percent by 2016.
Dr. Tran Ngoc Thach, Deputy Director of the institute, said nineMekong Delta localities have planted close to 550ha of certified riceseeds for this year’s summer-autumn crop, with an average output of 5.3tonnes per hectare.
He hoped the project willprovide more than 2,800 tonnes of high-quality certified rice seeds forthe approaching autumn-winter and winter-spring crops.
During the conference, participants also pointed out a number ofbarriers to the project’s expansion, such as a shortage of funding andhigh production costs.
They said in order to realisethe 2016 target, local authorities need to help farmers and businessesaccess loans with concessional terms and provide them with pricesubsidies, while encouraging companies to export rice grown fromcertified seeds.
Meanwhile, MARD Deputy Minister LeQuoc Doanh asked the Department of Crop Production to revamp Vietnam’srice cultivation to avoid too many varieties being planted in the MekongDelta region.-VNA
