Kien Giang (VNA) - The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang, the countr💙y’s largest riceproducer, 🍸is expected to produce 4.3 million tonnes of paddy  this year, up more than 35,200 tonnesagainst last year, according to its Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment.

For the ongoing summer – autumn crop, the province has planted more than290,000 ha of rice, up about 9,000 ha compared to the province’s target. Therate of certified rice seeds accounts for more than 77 percent of thecrop’s total area.  The ongoing harvest is expected to end in late September, with anadditional 1.5 million tonnes of paddy. Do Minh Nhut, deputy director of the department, saidthe yield had met the province’s target, but inclement weatherconditions and disease had affected output. Heavy rains and whirlwinds flattened more than 17,470 ha of rice which hadnearly ripened, mostly in Tan Hiep and Giong Rieng districts. Disease from brown plant hoppers during prolonged hotweather affected more than 57,230 ha of rice.  The rate of high quality rice varieties accounts for 72 percent of thecrop’s total area, according to the department.  The province has developed 17 large-scale rice fields on a totalof 3,215 ha. Many companies are working with farmers to implement large-scale ricefields under the Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP). The province’s Cooperative Alliance is working with companies to produceorganic rice. In July, the alliance signed an agreement with the Long AnOrganic Agriculture Company Limited to implement an organic rice productionchain.

Under the agreement, the company will supply material inputs andguarantee outlets for co-operatives to plant rice on 20,000 ha. The companywill also provide techniques for growing organic rice to cooperativemembers.

The province has abo⛎ut 🌸92,000 ha of ricefields in which rice is grown in the rainy season and shrimp are bred inthe dry season, according to the department. Few chemicals are used forthe rice and shrimp breeding models./.