Prolonged drought affects millions of farming households in the Mekong Delta. (Source: VNA) Tra Vinh (VNA) – More than 13,000 farming households in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh have suffered from a loss of nearly 5 billion VND (225,000 USD) due to prolonged drought and saltwater infiltration, said an official from the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
More than 11,000 hectares of winter-spring rice crops were affected, mostly in the districts of Tra Cu, Tieu Can, Chau Thanh, Duyen Hai, and Tra Vinh city.
According to Director of the Department Tran Trung Hien, saltwater has penetrated over 60 km inland. The salinity concentrations recorded in the Cai Hop culvert in Co Chien River was as high as 13.6 parts per thousand, up from 7.2 parts per thousand recorded the same period last year.
The figures were 7.2 and 4.8 parts per thousand in the Rach Rum culvert and the Rach Tan Dinh (Tan Dinh canal), respectively. The limit of acceptable concentrations is 2 ppt.
The agricultural sector has accelerated dredging of canals while pumping water into the key irrigational systems.
Technical assistance and consultation services have been provided for local farmers to help them cultivate and use irrigational water effectively in the tough conditions.
Restructuring crops is also one of the sector’s measures to cope with the severe weather. The winter-spring rice crop will be replaced with other crops in the districts of Tra Cu, Chau Thanh, Cau Ngang, and Duyen Hai.
Local farmers are also encouraged to use salt-tolerant rice varieties.
A mere 5,800 hectares of the total 76,000 hectares of winter-spring rice fields have been harvested. The rest are in the critical period of development.-VNA
