Ca Mau province will expand high-quality rice material farming by applying advanced technology. VNA PHOTO

CÀ MAU — The Mekong Delta province of Cà Mau will step up the application of advanced technology to expand high-quality rice material farming.

Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Lê Thanh Triều said under the province’s planning, local farmers would cultivate rice on an area of 110,000 ha, with an average yield of 4.7 tonnes per hectare by 2025. Cà Mau would strive for a rice output of 520,000 tonnes by 2025, which is expected to then remain stable until 2030.

Triều said focus would be sharpened to develop organic rice materials that meet both domestic and international standards as well as promote the value chain of the food.

In the meantime, the shrimp - rice rotary cultivation model would be developed with a view to increasing the amount of certified organic shrimp farmers, he added.

Farmers would be encouraged to shift to growing high-quality rice varieties that are resilient against salinisation. 

Figures show that the local rice growing area increased to 117,390 ha in 2020 from 112,534 in 2017. The yield surged by an average of 0.64 tonnes per hectare to 4.54 tonnes in 2020. 

The department turned 50,000 ha of ineffective fields into cultivating high-yield rice that is resilient to climate change. In particular, it has successfully planted the grain under international organic standards. — VNS