Recorded in the field located in Vinh Thanh Trung commune (An Giang province), the rice has ripened evenly, the grains are firm and golden, just waiting for harvest. However, instead of the scene of combine harvesters (rice cutting machines - PV) operating bustlingly like every year, this year the atmosphere is quiet again. Many fields are still "motionless".
Some farmers said that the main reason is the lack of harvesters. The number of machines operating in the area is not enough to meet the demand for simultaneous harvesting. Meanwhile, renting machines from other places faces many difficulties due to high costs and long waiting days.
Mr. Vo Minh Thong (resident in Chau Phu commune, An Giang province) said: "The rice is all ripe but there is no cutting machine yet. Calling familiar places, they report that the machine is out of stock. And when the rice ripens too much, it is easy to fall, drop seeds, and lose yield. Looking at it is heartbreaking.
According to Mr. Thong, harvest time is a major decisive factor for yield and quality of rice grains. If harvested late, rice may fall due to wind, rain or being too dry, leading to dropping grains. Extending harvest time also increases the risk of pests and diseases, directly affecting selling prices.
This crop I planted rice with an area of 40 cong. The rice is very beautiful, the grains are firm, if harvested at the right time, it will definitely be a bumper crop. But now there is no cutting machine, it is very worrying" - Mr. Thong said.
According to the reporter's investigation, one of the reasons leading to the shortage of harvesters is the unreasonable distribution of machines. Many machines are concentrated in some areas with large areas or places with previous contracts, while other areas are in shortage. In addition, the time of simultaneous sowing between localities causes harvest time to be pushed back, creating great pressure on the existing number of harvesters.
Mr. Pham Van Cuong (resident in Phu Huu commune, An Giang province) said that there is only one cutting machine in the entire field near Co Lau bridge. The machine operates continuously from morning to night, but it is not enough.
Dr. Tran Huu Hiep - an economic expert from the Mekong Delta region - said that reality shows that mechanization in agriculture has helped reduce labor and improve production efficiency. However, when demand exceeds the ability to meet it, inadequacies begin to emerge. To avoid the situation of "bumper crop, price drop" or "ripe rice without harvesters" recurring, synchronous involvement from many sides is needed. In which, production area planning, synchronous crop schedule and development of machinery services are key factors. In addition, encouraging farmers to link into cooperative groups and cooperatives will also help increase proactiveness in production, from planting to harvesting.
In the middle of the harvest season, farmers should have complete joy, but now it has become a worry. The story of the lack of harvesters is not only a short-term difficulty but also a warning about inadequacies in agricultural production organization. If there are no timely and long-term solutions, farmers will still continue to "stuck" in their own fields, helplessly watching the fruits of labor face the risk of loss" - Dr. Tran Huu Hiep said.
