Farmers in the region are entering the summer-autumn rice harvest season of 2024 with great joy as in addition to the increased rice yield, they also have additional income from selling dry straw to traders.
Farmer Nguyen Thi Danh in Phu Tho Commune of Dong Thap Province’s Tam Nong District said her family has 2 hectares of rice, with this summer-autumn crop yielding about 6.7 tons per hectare, 0.5 tons per hectare higher than the same period last year thanks to proper cultivation techniques. With the rice price at VND7,000 a kg, after deducting cultivation costs, the profit is VND 25 million per hectare.
Besides selling rice, in the summer-autumn crop of 2024, her family and many farmers in the area have earned more from selling dry straw.
On average, each hectare of rice after harvest produces about 170 straw rolls (20 kg/roll). Traders offered to buy each roll at the price of VND13,000-VND15,000. Selling dry straw after the rice harvest not only helps farmers increase their income but also contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Most rice farmers in the region are used to burning straw after the rice harvest.
