Amid falling rice prices and unpredictable weather, agricultural centers in the Mekong Delta are stepping up to help struggling farmers. By offering free drying and storage services, these centers provide a crucial lifeline, enabling farmers to wait for better prices rather than being forced to sell at a loss.
In Ca Mau Province, the Agricultural Seed Center is using its facilities to dry and store rice for local farmers at no cost. While they collect a small fee to cover electricity and firewood, there are no service charges. The center's warehouse is currently holding about 300 tons of rice, providing a temporary solution for farmers with limited storage space.
Deputy Director Nguyen Thi Kieu Khuyen of the Ca Mau Agricultural Seed Center said that the center helped farmers store their rice while they were waiting for higher prices as this provided a practical solution and reduced the pressure on them to sell at a loss.
This initiative is a critical response to the current market downturn. In Dong Thap Province, farmers are facing similar struggles, with prices for rice varieties like Jasmine rice and ST 25 dropping significantly.
According to Director Nguyen Van Nhan of Tang Hoa Agricultural Services Cooperative, many farmers are now only breaking even, and those who rent land are facing losses.
Agricultural leaders across the region are working with rice export companies to ensure farmers have a place to store their harvests. The agricultural department in Can Tho City is also actively supporting these efforts.
‘Summer-autumn rice prices have fallen sharply, with consumption facing difficulties’, said Deputy Director Nguyen Thi Giang of the Department of Agriculture and Environment in Can Tho. ‘Many rice-producing cooperatives in the city have begun helping farmers with drying and warehouse storage while they wait for prices to recover, ’ she added.
