Northern localities cultivated rice in an area of more than 1.1 million hectares during the crop, down 1 percent from the same time last year. Rice farming land reduced by 10,600 hectares in the Red River delta region due to land accumulation and change in purpose of land use.

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Vietnamese farmers harvest rice. Photo for illustration: Vietnam+

Rice output in the Northern region was estimated at 7.11 million tons, declining 2 percent year-on-year. The productivity fall was spurred by widespread diseases, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, total rice farming land for this crop in the Southern region was 1.93 million hectares. The region produced nearly 12 million tons during the winter-spring crop, dwindling 149,700 tons against last year crop. Saline intrusion, diseases and unseasonal rain affected the rice productivity.

Farmers across the country have planted 2.07 million hectares of the summer-autumn crop. The cultivation is blessed by favorable weather conditions.

Some localities in the Mekong Delta region are getting in the harvest of the early summer-autumn crop with 463,700 hectares, accounting for 25 percent of the total farming land. Rice yield is forecast at 604 kilograms per hectare.

Source: VNA