Farmers and delegates at the launch of a project in Đồng Tháp Province to develop 1 million hectares of high-quality low-emission rice associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta Region observes the planting using advanced techniques. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhựt An

ĐỒNG THÁP — A ceremony was held in Mỹ Đông Commune in Tháp Mười District of Đồng Tháp Province on Wednesday to kick start a project to develop 1 million hectares of high-quality low-emission rice associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta Region.

On this occasion, the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and its agencies launched the exemplary model of rice production in Đồng Tháp Province.

Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyễn Văn Vũ Minh said that Đồng Tháp is among five localities in the Mekong Delta Region that the agriculture ministry has chosen to develop exemplary models for the project on 1 million hectare of high-quality and low-emission rice production.

The model in Đồng Tháp will be implemented in the area of 50 ha at Thắng Lợi Agricultural Service Cooperative in Mỹ Đông Commune.

Lê Văn Chân, Deputy Director of the province’s Sub-department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, said that Đồng Tháp strives to have about 20,000 ha of rice included in the high-quality low-emission rice project in 2024, mainly in the districts of Hồng Ngự, Tân Hồng, Cao Lãnh, Tam Nông, Thanh Bình, Tháp Mười, and Hồng Ngự City.

The area is expected to expand to 50,000 ha by 2025 and to 161,000 ha by 2030.

Rice production is the main and key industry of Đồng Tháp. With a rice production area of 480,000 - 500,000 ha, the province produces over 3.3 million tonnes yearly.

Đồng Tháp is one of four provinces with large rice cultivation areas in the Mekong Delta which has favourable conditions to apply advanced production techniques. — VNS