Thousands of hectares of rice in the Mekong Delta are affected by saltwater intrusion

The water resources Sub-department warns that more than 29,000 hectares of late Winter-Spring rice crop in the Mekong Delta are at risk of being affected by saltwater intrusion. This rice area was produced out of the plan and is located in an area where it is recommended for farmers not to sow seeds after January 15. Heavily affected provinces include Tien Giang (1,400 hectares), Ben Tre (2,500 hectares), Tra Vinh (13,000 hectares), Soc Trang (6,000 hectares), and Ca Mau (6,360 hectares).

The level of saltwater intrusion since the beginning of this year's dry season is higher than that of the average of many previous years and that of  the same period of last year, but lower than that of the years 2015-2016 and 2019-2020. Currently, we are in the middle of the 2023-2024 dry season, the time when heat and saltwater intrusion are most severe, and the possibility of unseasonal rain is very low.

Many rice fields have shown signs of yellowing in leaves and not growing in roots due to the influence of salt water. Farmers are very worried when there is no water for irrigation. "I’m worried about everything, I just hope that there will be enough water to save the rice," a farmer shared.

Competent authorities are instructing farmers to pump, store, and use water economically to cope with the current severe saltwater intrusion situation. This is also a lesson for farmers in complying with recommendations of competent authorities in rice production.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/han-che-thiet-hai-do-xam-nhap-man-post799468.html