Tuyen Quang farmers begin spring rice planting ahead of Lunar New Year

As the Lunar New Year approaches and the weather gradually turns warmer, farmers across the rice fields of Tuyen Quang Province are busy sowing and transplanting the spring rice crop.

This spring season, the province plans to cultivate nearly 27,000 hectares of rice. In an atmosphere of urgency and enthusiasm, farmers share a common goal of completing planting within the optimal farming schedule, hoping for favorable weather and good harvests in the new year.

Across the fields, the bustling scene of farmers transplanting spring rice can be seen everywhere.

Most rice paddies have been mechanized, helping to speed up the planting process.

Reservoirs and dams throughout the province have been ordered to release water to serve spring crop production.

Water is supplied to the fields through an extensive network of internal irrigation canals.

This year’s severe cold spell has prompted farmers to cover seedbeds with plastic sheets to ensure healthy seedling growth.

After about 15 days of sowing, the seedlings are ready for transplanting.

Farmers pull and move rice seedlings across the fields using tarpaulins.

Seedlings are evenly distributed across the paddies before transplanting begins.

The labor-exchange transplanting method continues to be effectively applied by many farming households.

Currently, the cost of hired transplanting labor is about VND 300,000 per workday.

Farmers use traditional shoulder poles to carry seedlings, which makes it easier to walk along narrow field embankments.

In small or corner plots where plowing machines cannot access, farmers still rely on manual soil-raking tools.

Farmers spray chemicals to eliminate golden apple snails after sowing.

In some areas, especially low-lying paddies prone to waterlogging, farmers continue to use direct seeding methods and apply measures to scare away birds that feed on germinating seeds.

Quang Hoa