Report of Department of Agricultural Economy – Ministry of Planning and Investment in February 24th 2012.
1.Agriculture
Cultivation
In January 2012, the localities concentrated on harvesting winter crops, soil preparation, sowing, care of spring rice.
Rice: As of Jan 15th 2012, the country has planted 1856.8 thousand ha of winter-spring rice, equivalent to 95.3% over the last year’s same period.
The North: The localities of Red River Delta and midland accelerated harvesting of winter crops to free land for spring crop 2012, together with the canal dredging, upgrading and repair of irrigation pump system, taking water into the irrigation canal system through automatic drain and fully storing in lakes, ponds, marshes, lowlands to have water for cultivation while the power pools release phase 1 (from Jan 18th to Jan 22nd, 2012).
Due to cold weather in the early January, the progress of soil preparation, sowing rice seed and spring rice was slowly but reached a higher level than that of the same period last year. As of mid January, 89.9 thousand ha of early spring rice was transplanted, equaling 103.8% over the same period in 2011, mainly in the North Central provinces and some low-lying fields. Local authorities are currently carrying out anti-cold technical measures for rice and rice seed, waiting for warm weather. Also due to prolonged cold weather, some areas of rice seed and new transplanted rice died (1185.3 ha in Quang Binh and 529 ha of rice seed and 9885 ha of rice in Ha Tinh).
The Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development had guideline for the plants and crops structure; direction for farmers to finish sowing spring crops before Feb 15th, 2012; while reviewing areas lacking of water resources, guiding farmers to actively grow more effective types of plants and vegetables; mobilizing all resources, facilities, measures for early water reserve to irrigate the field and maintain water for crops.
The South: The Southern provinces planted 1766.9 thousand ha of winter-spring, equaling 94.9% over the same period of last year. In which, the Cuu Long River Delta grew 1446.2 thousand ha, equaling 96.7%.
The area of winter-spring rice cultivation this year progressed slower than that in the previous year because slow water withdrawal and high-level tide caused waterlogged. Currently, most planted winter-spring rice is in young rice seed stage and in the ear, milk-dough period. However, due to cold weather at night and early morning, the Tet Holiday was the most dangerous time because of disease on winter – spring rice, particularly BPH, blast, yellow mail snail, on the rice leaf folder insect,...
Other crops:
As of Jan 15th 2012, the country has planted 212 thousand ha of maize, equaling 97.6% compared to the same period last year, potato 53.8 thousand ha, equaling 77.3%, soybeans 92 thousand ha, equivalent to 96.1%; vegetables 259 thousand ha, equaling 102.1%, in which mainly decline in the area of winter crops (maize areas down by 2.4%, soybeans down 3.9%, vegetables up 2.1%). According to local reports, havests of soybeans, peanuts, winter sweet potatoes were nearly completed; corn, vegetables continued to harvest, expecting to finish by the end of January.
Livestock
Castles: Herds of buffalos and cows of some northern provinces were affected significantly by cold weather in recent times but without died cases as many as the previous years by the better prevention of hunger and cold for buffaloes and cows (Yen Bai 101 died cases, equaling 33%; Bac 113 died cases, equaling 14% over the same year). Because of large demand for meat of bovine animals in the Tet holidays, buffalos, cows tended to decrease.
Pigs: Pig production developed stably due to no diseases, farmers carried out technical measures to raise the amount of pig brought in consumption. The meat source was ensured in the New Year holidays.
Poultries: Poultry production: developed well and meet the needs of the market. However, due to the complicated weather condition, the risk of an bird flu outbreak is very high; the farmers need disinfection measures for cages to prevent epidemics.
2. Forestry
The unit checked and took over concentratively planted forests, plantation care, forest breeding and protection made in 2011; while implementing actively preparation for spring planting in 2012 such as germination and seedling care, cleaning of the forest space for planting ... Because of the dry and very cold weather (in the northern provinces), concentrative planting has been delayed. Forest owners are taking care of forests and replant for new areas with died sapling. The units is concentrating on the exploitation of forest products to complete 2011 targets and implementation of extraction plan in 2012.
Estimated results of January, key targets achieved are as follows: Planting of dispersed forest trees 559.6 thousand trees, up 0.2% over the same period in 2011; timber exploitation 336 thousand m3, up 12%; firewood 2.457 thousand ste, up 3.2%.
The forest management and protection, damage situation: the drought has appeared in many places. According to the forest fire warning of Forest Protection Department, until mid-January, some provinces with high risk of forest fire in level IV and V, included Dong Nai, Binh Thuan, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Nghe An .... The localities are actively conducting measures to prevent forest fires to respond promptly in circumstances, focusing on communication in key areas, especially in the northern mountainous provinces, Tay Nguyen, South East. Deforestation and illegal extraction still existed in some localities, but only in a narrow range in the remote areas primarily in the Northwest, Tay Nguyen, the total number of deforestation detected and fined are 29 cases, a destroyed area of 7.3 ha.
3. Fisheries.
In the month, the aquaculture yields were actively harvested to meet the needs of domestic consumption. As for the exploitation of marine resources, because of the unfavorable weather and the Lunar New Year holiday at this time, fishermen should reduce off-shore time, resting and refitting to step into a new fishing year. Total fishery exploitation and aquaculture production in the month reached 364.2 thousand tons, up 2.2% over the same period last year, in which fish reached 276 thousand tons, up 2.1%, shrimp reached 32.4 thousand tons, up 4.9%, other aquatic products reached 55.8 thousand tons, up 1.3%.
Aquaculture farming
Aquaculture production was estimated to reach 172 thousand tons, up 6.5%, in which fish production reached 129 thousand tons, up 6.6%; farmed shrimp production obtained 23 thousand tons, up 7%.
Farmers promoted intensive cultivation, to meet demand in the domestic market for Lunar New Year. It led to a considerable increase of fish production over the same period and the previous months. Shark catfish material’s price on the market was currently worth from 26,000 to 27,000 VND / kg which bring interest to farmers. However, the slow progress of procurement of raw material processing plant led to the decrease of the fish harvest for export over the same period. Shark catfish production was estimated to obtain around 75 thousand tons within the month, down 5.3% over the same period, in which An Giang gained 26 thousand tons, down 30%; Dong Thap obtained 21 thousand tons, down 4% ... Shark catfish production is forecasted to be better.
The situation of shrimp farming was quite stable. Whiteleg shrimp farming area took mostly over the farming area of giant tiger prawn in the Central Coast and continued to develop rapidly in Cuu Long River Delta. Production of shrimp in the month increased significantly over the farming area of giant river prawn, whiteleg shrimp and giant tiger prawn in the form of improved extensive farming, which was used to be carried out in Ca Mau, Bac Lieu ...
Exploitation of aquatic resources
Exploitation of aquatic products was estimated to reach 192.2 thousand tons, down 1.4% over the same period last year; in which 147 thousand tons of fish, down 1.6%; 8.8 thousand tons of shrimp, equaling the same period last year. Inspire of the fish season in the North and fast seafood consumption, sea weather impacted by the storm No.7 and heavy north-easterly wind led to a decrease in time spending on sea of fishermen in order to maintain boats and rest for the Tet Holiday. The result was fishing production in the month being lower than that in the same period.
The localities are continuing registration and licensing of fishing. Monitoring, management and guidance of the boats exploiting in fisheries are to timely notify fishermen in order to avoid storms and rough sea. Besides, the localities continuously implement the Decision 48/2010/QD-TTg about the policy to support petrol for large-capacity vessels in far off-shore waters which help the fishermen be please to work.
4. The situation of agricultural market, water supplies
4.1. Food: the price of rice in the Mekong Delta provinces presents a very strong reduction, down from 7,200-7,600 VND/kg to 5,000 – 5,900 VND/kg but concentrating on certain low-grade types. Generally the price of rice remains stable and fluctuates in a number of categories such as IR 50404, the rice OM types, Jasmin rice ...). Price of rice had stable and reduction trend: rice materials about 11,000 VND/kg (up slightly as compared to December 2011), broken rice about 9,500d/kg.
4.2. Foodstuff: Specifically, the price of pork in markets remains high (about 85,000 VND/kg), higher in large cities; pork tenderloin 137,000 VND/kg; beef tenderloin 174,000d/kg; carp 75,000 VND/kg, shark catfish 34,000 VND/kg.
4.3. Vegetables of all kinds: the price of vegetables increased from the previous month. Spinach obtained 9,000 VND/kg, malabar nightshade, sweet vegetables 8,000 VND/kg (up 1,000 VND/kg), cucumber 11,000 VND/kg (unchanged)
4.4. Agricultural materials: fertilizer prices tended to increase, price of retailed Chinese urea fertilizer 9,200 VND/kg, urea Phu My 9,500 VND/kg (down sharply as compared to December 2011).
5. Situation of natural disasters and epidemics:
5.1. Natural disasters: no disaster impacts badly on the lives of the people and production in the month.
5.2. Epidemic diseases
- Avian influenza; Foot-Mouth Disease (FMD), blue ear disease in pigs: as of Jan 29th 2012, no localities has diseases or new outbreak./.
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Overall result on agricultural production
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As of Jan 15th 2012
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Unit: Thousand ha
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Jan 1011
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Jan 2012
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As compared to the same period (%)
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1. Winter-spring cultivation nationwide
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1 947.6
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1 856.8
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95.3
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Specifically: - The North
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86.6
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89.9
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103.8
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- The South
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1 861.0
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1 766.9
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94.9
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In which: Cuu Long River Delta
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1 495.3
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1 446.2
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96.7
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2. Some secondary crops
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- Maize
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217.3
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212.0
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97.6
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- Sweet potato
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69.6
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53.8
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77.3
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- Soybean
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95.7
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92.0
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96.1
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3. Bean, vegetable cultivation
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253.6
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259.0
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102.1
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Aquatic production in January 2012
Unit: Thousand tons
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Jan 2011
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Jan 2012
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As compared to the same period (%)
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I. Total
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356.4
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364.2
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102.2
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- Fish
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270.4
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276.0
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102.1
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- Shrimp
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30.9
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32.4
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104.9
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- Others
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55.1
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55.8
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101.3
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II. Farming aquatic products
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161.5
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172.0
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106.5
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- Fish
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121.0
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129.0
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106.6
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- Shrimp
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21.5
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23.0
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107.0
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- Others
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19.0
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20.0
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105.3
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III. Exploiting aquatic products
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194.9
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192.2
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98.6
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- Fish
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149.4
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147.0
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98.4
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- Shrimp
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9.4
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9.4
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100.0
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- Others
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36.1
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35.8
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99.2
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+ Sea exploitation
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182.6
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180.0
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98.6
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Ministry of Planning and Investment