Ha Tinh to accelerate rice harvest, ensure prices stable

Quick harvest when rice reaches 85% or more of its maturity level.

The 2026 spring rice crop in Ha Tinh is entering its peak harvest period. However, extreme weather, including storms and hail on May 3, caused significant damage, creating an urgent need for harvest coordination.

Before the April 30 - May 1 holiday, the Ha Tinh People’s Committee issued directives requiring local authorities to review and work with combine harvester service providers to develop reasonable coordination plans. The goal was to ensure fast, efficient harvesting while keeping service prices stable, preventing price hikes that could put pressure on farmers.

Communes and wards were asked to work with local police and agricultural cooperatives to sign commitments with machine owners on service prices, operating plans, and ensuring security and traffic safety. Facilitating the operation of harvesters from other provinces was also considered essential to accelerate progress.

Local officials have also been assigned to closely monitor fields and guide farmers to mobilize maximum labor and machinery to harvest as soon as rice reaches at least 85% maturity. After harvesting, farmers are encouraged to use biological products to treat rice stubble and prepare land for the summer-autumn crop in line with the seasonal calendar. The principle of “preparing land from where the harvest ends” continues to be emphasized to avoid production disruptions.

A short-lived joy

According to initial assessments by the Ha Tinh Department of Agriculture and Environment, this year’s spring crop has achieved relatively high yields. However, farmers’ joy has been dampened by weak market demand, low rice prices, and rising harvesting costs toward the end of the crop.

“Approximately 5,800 ha of spring rice across the province were lodged due to storms, accounting for nearly 10% of the total cultivated area, mainly in Ky Xuan, Duc Thinh, Cam Trung, Son Tien, Dong Kinh, Tu My, and Bac Hong Linh wards. Harvesting costs for these areas may increase by up to VND 20,000 per sao (1 sao equals 500 m²), which is a loss caused by natural disasters.

“Fortunately, choosing to sow 7 to 10 days earlier compared to previous years means most of the affected rice has already matured, so yield losses are minimal. However, output markets remain difficult, and purchase prices for fresh paddy are low,” said Le Ngoc Huan, Director of the Ha Tinh Department of Agriculture and Environment.

On May 4, Vice Chairman of the Ha Tinh People’s Committee Ho Huy Thanh led a provincial delegation to inspect storm damage in several localities, including Gia Hanh, Can Loc, Dong Kinh, Tung Loc, Ky Xuan, and Cam Binh. The aim was to direct localities to accelerate harvesting and make the most of the “golden window” for land preparation and sowing of the summer-autumn crop, avoiding floods at the end of the season.

According to Vice Chairman Ho Huy Thanh, the province has harvested over 20,000 ha out of 58,500 ha. The immediate priority is to clear all lodged rice areas within the next 2 - 3 days to prevent prolonged submersion, which could cause sprouting and reduce quality.

“In the short term, localities must mobilize more than 900 combine harvesters, prioritizing support for farmers in affected areas. The system of 11 drying facilities must operate at full capacity to minimize risks under unfavorable weather conditions.

“In the long term, based on the approved plan for high-quality rice zones, the sector must coordinate with localities to organize production according to planning, develop value chain linkages, standardize seeds, crop calendars, cultivation and harvesting processes, and ensure purchase contracts for farmers. The province will accompany and support policies to enhance the value and quality of Ha Tinh rice,” he emphasized.

The Vice Chairman also requested the Ha Tinh Department of Agriculture and Environment to evaluate low-emission rice production models as a basis for scaling up. Field observations show that while some areas were damaged, certain intensive farming models using tray seedlings and mechanical transplanting withstood storms well, highlighting the role of science and technology in improving crop resilience to climate change.

Surveys show that farmgate prices for fresh paddy currently range from VND 5,000 to 7,000 per kilogram, with some even falling below VND 5,000. Weak market demand has also made it difficult for farmers to find buyers.