Farmers in provinces across Việt Nam have been enjoying a bumper 2020-2021 winter-spring rice crop with an average yield of 6.4 tonnes per hectare thanks to favourable natural conditions.

Fields nationwide have been blanketed with brilliant golden ripe rice and dotted with farmers busy harvesting.

A farmer in the northern province of Hòa Bình carries harvested rice home. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đạt

However, the COVID-19 outbreak since late April has caused difficulties for farmers as the harvest season has had to be prolonged.

Farmers in the northern province of Ninh Bình row boats full of ripe rice back home. — VNA/VNS Photo Đức Phương

Phùng Thị Hòe from Ngũ Kiên Commune in the northern province of Vĩnh Phúc said: "This year, the winter-spring rice harvest takes place during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we farmers have already been greatly supported with agricultural machines, so we don’t have to work as hard and only have to bring rice home.”

This year's winter-spring rice crop has been bumper for farmers nationwide. — VNA/VNS Photo Đức Phương

This year’s harvest season is also special for farmers in pandemic hotspots like Bắc Giang or Bắc Ninh provinces as many locals are in isolation to prevent the spread of the virus.

Youth volunteers help to transport harvested rice for farmers who are quarantined. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Thương

The fields of these provinces are filled with not only local farmers but also youth volunteers, soldiers, police and members of COVID-19 prevention teams helping harvest rice for those in isolation.

Soldiers, whose main task is patrolling to prevent illegal border entries in the central province of Hà Tĩnh, assist farmers to harvest rice.  VNA/VNS Photo Hồ Cầu

"Although we focus on fighting the pandemic every day, we also assign among ourselves the work of helping farmers to harvest and transport rice to their houses so they can feel at peace during their quarantines. This is also one of the important tasks that contribute to successfully curbing the pandemic”, said Major Nguyễn Viết Đoàn, Capital Mobile Police Regiment, Mobile Police Command under the Ministry of Public Security.

“Every one of us all hopes to work as hard as two or three people combined so that this fight will be ended soon”. VNS

Farmers have been greatly supported by specialised machines that help to lessen their hard work. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đạt