Tien Giang (VNA) - The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang willspend more than 34.5 billion VND (1.5 million USD) to expand high-tech ricegrowing areas to 4,000ha this year as part of an expansion plan to 2025.

Under the plan, which began last year, high-tech rice growing areas are locatedmostly in the major agricultural districts Cai Be, Cai Lay, Go Cong Tay and GoCong Dong.

These areas grow high-quality rice varieties like Nang Hoa 9, Dai Thom 8, OM4900, OM 5451 and ST 24.

The department has organised 200 training courses to provide advanced ricegrowing techniques to 6,000 farmers.

It has also established two high-tech rice growing processes that both growrice under good agricultural practices (GAP) and use machines forcultivation. 

Participating farmers are instructed to use advanced techniques known as “threereductions and three increases” and "one must and five reductions”.

The "one must and five reductions" technique uses certified seeds andreduces the number of seedlings, plant protection chemicals, nitrogenousfertilisers, irrigation, and post-harvest losses.

Farmers sow 100 kilogrammes of seeds per hectare and use certified seeds. Theyare also given guidance on how to sow rice under certain schedules to avoiddamage from the brown plant hopper, which is the main rice pest and transmitsdisease.

Last year, the province spent more than 10.3 billion VND (446,000 USD) to implementthe expansion project.

The money was used to buy machines and other items for agricultureco-operatives, organise rice-model demonstrations and training courses forfarmers, and provide financial support for farmers to buy seeds and materialinputs.

Forty percent of the cost of seeds and material inputs for farmers was paid bythe project.

Last year, the province organised rice-model demonstrations on a total area ofmore than 40ha in the districts Cai Be, Cai Lay, Go Cong Dong and Go Cong Tay.

Rice planted under rice-model demonstrations had an average yield of 6.25tonnes per hectare, up 200kg compared to normal fields. The production cost was3,100 VND a kilo, down 295 VND a kilo compared to normal fields.

The profit from rice planted under rice-model demonstrations was 20 million VND(860 USD) per hectare a crop, up 4 million VND (170 USD) compared to normalfields.

Rice planted under this project is guaranteed outlets by rice companies./.