Dry weather and crop diseases could affect the rice output and quality in the northern provinces, warned an agricultural official at a conference held in Hanoi on March 2.

Deputy Head of the Department of Cultivation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Xuan Dinh said dry weather in the 2014-2015 spring-winter crops has caused several rice seeds to open early, risking cold weather exposure at the end of the season.

Diseases are also likely to develop due to unseasonably high temperatures, he added.

Average temperatures for the 2014-2015 crops are also 0.5-1.5 degrees Celsius higher than those of previous crops and are likely to continue rising.

Deputy Head of the ministry’s Department of Plant Protection said localities should actively expect and make preparations for any disease outbreaks.

He noted that the total area for cultivation in the northern region is 1.14 million hectares, down 22,000 hectares from the 2013-2014 spring-winter crop.

Northern and central northern regions are likely to face droughts and water shortages in the coming time, according to the National Hydrometeorology Forecasting Centre.

Saltwater intrusion threatens rice fields in Mekong Delta

More than 25,000ha of rice in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang may be affected by drought and saltwater intrusion during the peak of the dry season this year, from mid-March to mid-April.

According to the provincial Hydro-Meteorology Forecast Centre, Phung Hiep district will be hardest hit with around 10,000 ha. Vi Thanh City and several other districts including Chau Thanh A, Long My and Vi Thuy are also urged to get prepared for saltwater encroachment.

The centre said several recent years have seen unusual weather patterns such as early arrival of the dry season, unseasonal rains and high tides, which are signs of climate change.

Meanwhile, in Mekong Delta Tra Vinh province, saline water enters as far as 50km from local river mouths, posing a serious threat to agricultural production, especially Winter-Spring rice crops.

Local people in the affected areas are recommended to reinforce the dyke system, dredge canals to take water from inland rivers and store water in ponds, lakes and fields while keeping a close watch on the salt concentration of river water.

VNA