At the crack of dawn, harvesting machines were hurriedly working in the fields of Tan Thanh District of the Mekong Delta Province of Long An.
In the blooming rice seasons, from the far side, a vast and endless sea of gold was seen. While combine harvesters were cutting and combining ripened rice while dozens of ships and boats were waiting to transport rice for consumption.
Elsewhere in the paddy field, groups of people were carefully carrying rice from the fields to vessels, making the harvest atmosphere in the countryside more exciting.
In the 2023-2024 winter-spring rice crop, farmers in Tan Thanh District sowed over 29,000 hectares, and so far about 5,000 hectares have been harvested. Rice varieties include OM18, Dai Thom, and IR4625. This year, the weather is favorable and there are few pests and diseases, so the rice yields are high. Farmers are so joyful because they have good harvest.
Harvest season is a moment of jubilation, marking the culmination of months of diligent labor, where farmers have toiled under the sun and nurtured their crops with care. It's a time when the rewards of hard work are reaped, and a vast area of land is covered with ripe golden rice flowers.
Farmers rushed to the fields early, watching combine harvesters working to harvest unhusked rice; a bustling atmosphere spread throughout the fields in Tan Thanh District.
Farmers celebrated high prices; plus, they had high yields, good harvests and good quality while they spent less money on production.
For instance, farmer Doan Van Coi in Nhon Hoa Lap Commune has grown stick rice on more than 3 hectares. Stick rice is sold at nearly VND 9,000 a kg currently. Compared to other years, the farmer had a good harvest this year, so he was very excited. After deducting all the costs involved in production, the farmer earned a profit of about VND35 million-VND40 million (US$1,425 -$ 1,629 ) per ha, so Mr. Coi's family is very happy to prepare for a big Tet ( the Lunar New Year) holiday.
Farmer Coi revealed that farmers can have a bumper crop this harvest season because they have carefully chosen rice varieties and complied with the sowing schedule recommended by the agricultural sector.
Also enjoying the joy of a good harvest, farmer Nguyen Van Truong in Nhon Hoa Lap Commune said that he harvested more than 8 tons from cultivating rice on more than 1.5 hectares; traders offered to buy rice at VND9,900 per kg.
After deducting all costs, he made a profit of nearly VND70 million. As the Tet holiday was approaching, Mr. Truong's family planned to spend more money preparing for the new year.
Chairman of Tan Thanh District Farmers' Association Tran Thanh Hien said that farmers in the district both accelerated the harvest progress and prepared seeds, supplies, and fertilizers for the next crop production. The Farmers' Association in Tan Thanh District encouraged farmers to apply science and technology and high technology in production to have a bumper harvest.
Rice carts were running briskly on new roads in the countryside. Bumper harvest puts a smile on every farmer's face. Farmers have a bumper crop this year not only thanks to the good weather but also their sweat and toil in the sun. The sun and wind blend with the scent of ripe rice to create a gentle yet seductive scent of the countryside. For farmers in the Mekong Delta, rice not only has agricultural value but also cultural life and the soul of countryside life.
