Vietnam - Winter-spring rice output increases

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) estimated a 466,000 tonne increase in this year's winter-spring rice crop compared to that of 2011, having already harvested 20.26 million tonnes by June 15.

It said south and central regions have completed harvesting and were busy cultivating summer-autumn crops while in the north, farmers in the rice hubs of Thai Binh and Nam Dinh provinces, were still busy collecting winter-spring produce.

According to Do Hai Dien, head of the Nam Dinh Cultivation Office, local farmers have so far harvested 40 per cent of their rice crops.