A farmer in Hà Nam Province places rice seedlings into a transplanter machine. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Chinh

HÀ NAM — The Red River Delta is still seeing a modest mechanisation rate in its agricultural production.

Authorities, experts and producers are looking for solutions to improve the situation and raise the production value of crops in the area.

According to the National Agriculture Extension Center (NAEC), mechanisation in rice production in the Red River Delta remains modest, mostly applied in tillage and irrigation (over 90 per cent), spraying pesticides and harvesting (80 per cent), and transportation (over 75 per cent).

The mechanisation rate is still low in using rice transplanter machines (12 per cent) and drying (20 per cent).

The Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology (under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) also said that right now, rice harvest storage is still being done at a small scale and scattered.

This is because most of the work is conducted by households, merchants and cooperatives.

Due to their limited capacity, the crops are kept in sub-standard storage, which leads to unsatisfactory quality and a high loss rate, according to the institute.

Meanwhile, the percentage of machine-dried crops remains low at 20 per cent.

Except for several industrial-scale rice milling and polishing companies with tower dryers, the rest are still using static flat-bed dryers or direct drying, which requires more workforce and affects quality.

The local mechanical industry currently meets about 33 per cent of the demand for agricultural production machinery in terms of types, quantity and quality.

While substantial policies and frameworks have been put in place, the mechanisation is still limited, due to inadequate resources, especially financial resource.

The existing infrastructure is also an obstacle to the comprehensive implementation of mechanisation.

The factors concerned include the scale, flatness and slope of each paddy field, as well as the irrigation system and the routes within the area.

Cost is also a major concern, as many people still have difficulty accessing loans without collateral, while support policies are not attractive enough for mechanical companies.

According to the Department of Cooperatives and Rural Development (DCRD), on average, 91 per cent of the total rice production land in Việt Nam is tilled with machinery.

This mechanisation rate is 21 per cent in planting, 80 per cent in irrigation, 53 per cent in fertilising, 59 per cent in harvesting, 29 per cent in drying and correct storing, and 78 per cent in transportation.

Statistics also show that the loss of crops during the harvest and post-harvest stages reaches up to 3.2 million tonnes per year, equivalent to US$760 million in worth.

During these processes, about 970,000 tonnes of crops ($233 million) are lost during drying.

NAEC deputy director Hoàng Văn Hồng said that mechanisation helps boost productivity, meet the seasonal farming schedule, and overcome the labour shortage during peak seasons and unfavourable weather.

Mechanisation could also help reduce production costs, increase income for farmers and minimise loss during and after harvests, he said.

It also encourages cooperation in production, as well as the engagement of young skilled workers in rural areas.

Ngô Mạnh Ngọc, deputy director of Hà Nam Province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the actual situation in the province shows that mechanisation is becoming the key to elevating agricultural production value.

By scaling up production and boosting mechanisation, producers’ profits could increase by 15 to 20 per cent, compared to the traditional practices.

Based on proposals and suggestions of agricultural cooperatives and households, the NAEC is also working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for concrete directions and solutions for mechanised agriculture.

Local authorities will also study and issue appropriate policies that suit the local context and strengths, in order to enhance mechanisation in production.

The NAEC also encourages cooperatives and households to link to one another, which will increase the scale of production area, and establish mechanical service providers for the locality. — VNS