A representative from the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hau Giang Province, on the evening of March 20, stated that local authorities were urgently investigating the unusual death of paddy plants near the Can Tho – Ca Mau Expressway project. Initial reports indicate that at least 20 hectares of winter-spring rice in Long My District, Hau Giang Province, have suffered root rot and scorching, suspected to be caused by acid sulfate leakage and saltwater intrusion from the project.
The affected farmers are mainly in Luong Nghia Commune, Long My District, where rice fields are located along both sides of the under-construction expressway. While this is typically the harvest period for the winter-spring rice crop, the rice in this area has withered, turned yellow, suffered root rot, and developed empty grains, leading to significant losses.
Thong Minh, 55, who owns one hectare of rice land adjacent to the expressway, reported that nearly all his rice near the road had perished, resulting in total crop failure. Further from the road, the damage was less severe, but the percentage of empty grains remained high. Over a month ago, when the rice was at the panicle initiation stage, saltwater and acid sulfate from the expressway project began seeping into the fields, leading to increasing root rot and crop loss. He noted that this was the first time he had experienced such devastation in over 30 years of rice farming in the area.
According to Luong Nghia Commune's People's Committee, preliminary assessments show that more than 21 hectares belonging to 49 households in hamlets 6, 7, and 10 have suffered damage ranging from 20 percent to 100 percent due to acidic and saline water leakage from sand pumping operations for the Can Tho – Ca Mau Expressway project. Local authorities, in coordination with relevant agencies, measured the salinity levels in the affected rice fields (on both sides of the expressway), finding them at 7-11 per mille, whereas the internal canal water in the area had a salinity of only 0.3 per mille.
Mr. Nguyen Van Ngoc, Vice Chairman of Luong Nghia Commune's People's Committee, stated that local authorities had discussed the issue with the contractor, who confirmed using river sand. However, at the time the barges transported the sand to the gathering point on the Nuoc Man River, the water there had already been salinized. The contractor then pumped water from the Nuoc Man River into the barges to dilute the sand before transferring it onto the expressway construction site, located over a kilometer away. As a result, saline water and acid sulfate from the sand seeped into nearby rice fields, causing the damage.
Regarding the issue, Mr. Ho Minh Duong, Director of the Executive Board of Trung Nam Company (the contractor for the XL1 package of the Can Tho – Ca Mau Expressway project in Long My District), stated that the company had worked with local authorities and reported the situation to its headquarters. Since construction activities have impacted local agricultural production, once authorities determine the extent of the damage, the company will engage in discussions and provide compensation to affected farmers.
