“Two-thirds of them are from farming families, so they are quitefamiliar with farming work,” said Colonel Vu Cao Quan from the Can ThoCity Military Command.
This is the first time local soldiers have been mobilised to helpfarmers harvest their crops instead of building roads or houses.
Last week, local farmers in Co Do, Thoi Lai, Vinh Thanh, Thot Not andPhong Dien districts faced losing 30,000 ha of rice crops due to asevere labour shortage in the imminent wet season.
“We had to pay nearly 3 million VND (160 USD) – three times higherthan previous years – for workers to harvest 1 ha of the crop, but eventhen there were not enough workers to hire,” said farmer Le Van Be fromThoi Binh Hamlet.
Dao Chi Anh, secretary of the Co Do District Party Committee, said thathe and leaders from other districts had sought help from the city’sMilitary Command and Military Zone No. 9.
In response, the command mobilised 2,000 soldiers to help farmers harvest, transport and package the rice./.