Rice festival opens in Delta

by Van Dat & Xuan Huong

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh addresses the opening ceremony of the second Viet Nam Rice Festival. — VNA/VNS Photo Van Dat

The opening ceremony of the four-day festival was attended by high-ranking leaders including Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh, who heads the Southwestern Region Steering Committee, former Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu, former Vice President Truong My Hoa, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat, and leaders of the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta's 13 provinces.

Rice production had been closely connected to the lives of the Vietnamese people since the nation was founded, said Ninh at the opening ceremony, and the country's rice cultivation contributed to maintaining food security for the country and the region.

In the past 25 years, paddy production in Viet Nam has made a breakthrough thanks to efforts of farmers and the support of foreign scientists, Ninh said. Rice yield was now 5.4 tonnes per hectare, over double the 1989 levels.

"Viet Nam used to be a country with food shortage, and now it has become the second leading rice exporter in the world," Ninh said. "This year, the coutry has exported 7 million tonnes of rice, bringing in US$26 billion."

Under the theme Honouring the Vietnamese Gem: A Green Environment for Yellow Fields, the event included exhibitions showcasing farm-tool models and the development of rice cultivation. Different rice strains were also exhibited.

The festival also had an area for local and foreign businesses and foreign embassies and consulates to introduce products and find partners.

Soc Trang People's Committee chairman Nguyen Trung Hieu, head of the festival organising board, said the festival – which would run through Friday – aimed to honour farmers, scientists, managers and entrepreneurs who have promoted and contributed to the country's rice sector.

Soc Trang produced more than 2 million tonnes of rice a year, ranking fourth in the Delta region, said Hieu.

"The event is expected to help further promote Soc Trang scented rice, which has received trademark recognition from the National Office of Intellectual Property and in both local and international markets," he said.

In addition to an exposition with 1,000 stalls showcasing agricultural products, the festival would host a series of seminars in which experts could analyse and discuss the position of Vietnamese rice in the international arena, new requirements and standards for Vietnamese rice in the world market, and how to help Viet Nam's agriculture reach sustainable development.

Competitions and performances would also be held during the festive days, including a writing contest on the Bai Xau International Trade Port that would help people better understand the formation and development of the commercial port.

Today, the Oc Om Boc Festival of the Khmer ethnic group also kicks off, with the traditional Ngo boat race for both men and women on Maspero River.

Organised by Soc Trang Province, the Viet Nam Food Association, the Viet Nam Southern Food Corporation and the International Fair and Rural Development Corp, the festival is expected to welcome over a million visitors.

Viet Nam has 4.1 million hectares under rice cultivation, accounting for 44 per cent of total arable land, and offering the primary source of income for about 10 million households in rural areas. Rice exports reached a peak of 6.8 million tonnes last year.

The country's policies to encourage rice production include tax exemptions and irrigation fees exemptions.

However, Ninh urged better policies to encourage farmers and research in preventing epidemics, applying technology in production, and anticipating climate change and rising sea levels. — VNS