Racing Against the Agricultural Calendar

Prolonged cold and rainy weather has delayed the winter-spring rice crop in Quang Binh, Vietnam. Nearly 900 hectares in Le Thuy district alone remain unsown. Farmers are working tirelessly to prepare the land and sow seeds by February 15th to maintain the agricultural schedule. Low-lying fields surrounding Hac Hai lagoon, totaling 1,300 hectares, are the last to be sown due to difficulties in water drainage. Damaged dike systems and high tides further complicate the process. Farmers are utilizing pumps, tillers, and even drone technology for fertilizer spreading and sowing to accelerate progress and catch up with the season. The chosen rice varieties are short-term, ranging from 125-135 days, to mitigate the delayed planting.