Report of Department of Agricultural Economy – Ministry of Planning and Investment in July 24th 2012.
1. Agriculture
1.1. Cultivation
Cultivation in July focused mainly on tillage and winter rice cultivation, early summer-autumn rice care and harvest.
As of July 15th 2012, the whole country sowed 961.3 thousand hectares of winter rice, equaling 121.9% over the same period last year, in which the Northern provinces sowed 769.2 thousand hectares, rose 35.7%; the south provinces sowed 192.2 thousand hectares, equivalent to 86.6% over the same period in 2011.
Accompanying with the winter-spring rice harvest, the Northern provinces also deployed tillage and sowing winter rice seeds, ensure the timely cultivation of winter rice. As of mid-July, the Red River Delta provinces has sowed 343.3 thousand hectares of winter rice, equaling approximately 60% of the plan, up 55.7% over the same period, in which a part of the area were sown directly for prompt season. Some localities with fast sowing progress were: Bac Ninh reached 11.1 thousand hectares, equaling 338%, in which direct sowing was 1.9 thousand hectares; Hai Duong 52.8 thousand hectares, equaling 230% over the same period, direct sowing was 13.3 thousand hectares; Hai Phong transplanted and sowed rice at 15.7 thousand hectares, equivalent to 450% over the same period; Hung Yen attained equivalent to 184%; North Central Provinces reached 123.8 thousand hectares, increased 18% compared to the same period. Winter rice crops this year was basically cultivated timely (last year time for winter rice cultivation was delayed due to the late winter-spring rice harvest); additionaly, sunny weather and rain on a large scale facilitated for farmers to till and plant rice in schedule. Current weather is quite favorable for the growth and development of crops, rice is in the period of regreening and branching. A disadvantage was that the break between the spring-winter and the winter crops was short causing potential spreading plague. A highlight of this year's winter crop was that some provincial have had plans and policies to encourage people in planning areas of hybrid rice, qualified rice as goods; plan of establishing pilot model "Consolidate Field", so that many localities expanded scales and focused on cultivation of rice varieties with high economic value.
Also as of mid-July, the whole country has planted 2,358.3 thousand hectares of summer-autumn and autumn-winter, equaling 103.5% over the same period last year because of relatively favorable weather in the provinces; the Mekong Delta sowed rice with an amount of 1,915 thousand hectares, equivalent to 100.8%, in which the autumn-winter rice area reached 262.1 thousand hectares, equivalent to 106.3% over the same period; by actively regulating water resource for irrigation, farmers could early till and sow. So far the Mekong Delta provinces have harvested about 600 thousand ha of summer-autumm rice, accounting for 31% of the sowed areas; the rest of summer-autumm rice area developed quite well, being in the ear, solid or ripe grain period.
The localities have continued to accelerate the cultivation of other crops during the tolerable planting season. As of mid-July, the whole country has planted 834.7 thousand hectares of maize, equaling 92.9%; 105.7 thousand hectares of sweet potato, equaling 86.5%; 77.3 thousand hectares of soybean, equivalent to 54.2%; 182.3 thousand hectares of peanut, equaling 90.8%; 680.9 thousand hectares of vegetables, beans, equaling 103%.
Pests, natural disasters: as of end of June and the early July, there was heavy rain in a number of provinces in the North flooded over 35 thousand hectares of rice and vegetables, caused deadweight loss of 97 hectares; in the southern localities, there were 16.3 thousand hectares of droughty rice and vegetables, deadweight loss of nearly 5.5 thousand hectares (mainly in Dak Lak). There are about 35 thousand hectares of rice and vegetables infected with pests and needed to be prevented, 32 thousand hectares was disinfected, mainly in the Mekong Delta region (over 25 thousand hectares).
1.2. Livestock
Livestock in July faced difficulties due to low price of live-weight meat and eggs, affecting the ability to reproduce, especially because livestock period for last year’s demand was comming; Diseases on cattles and poultries have still occurred in some localities with the risk of spreading due to the hot weather and season change. Livestock situation is as follows:
Pig: although the number of provinces having blue ear disease fell to 5 provinces (8 provinces in the last month), but the disease has still been complicated because it appeared in the two provinces with high livestock density which are Dong Nai and Binh Duong, causing high risk in spreading. Meanwhile, the low price makes many households stop breeding, influenced investment for reproduction. The number of pigs was nationwide estimated to increase about 1-1.3% compared to the same period in 2011.
Poultry: Compared to the beginning of 2012, the price of poultry was reduced by 20-25%, especially price of eggs decreased from 38-40% which made farmers to produce in moderation, decrease poultry due to the lack of capital and low economic efficiency. Avian influenza was only presented in Quang Binh but potential risk of outbreaks still occurred due to hot and fluctuated weather. The estimated number of poultry of the country increased about 5.5-6% compared to the same period in 2011.
Buffaloes, cows in the whole country have tended to decrease but have not had significant changes. Herd of milk cows developed well thanks to the scale expansion and high-tech application in livestock and processing of products of some enterprises. The current number of cattle in the country was estimated to fall by 5-7% compared to the same period in 2011.
2. Forestry
To ensure cultivation season, localities in the North and the North Central region focused on accelerating afforestation, the Central Highlands and Southern provinces are beginning to implement afforestation due to slower season. Weather conditions during the period were generally favorable due to widespread heavy rain. However, the Central region has still been hot and droughty which affected the progress of afforestation.
The results of some key indicators were estimated in July as follows: new concentrated planted area was estimated at 34.1 thousand hectares, increased 6.2% over the same period; scattered planted forest trees were 16,4 million trees, up 1.9%; logging output reached 380 thousand m3, up 11.1%; firewood extraction reached 2.35 million ste, up 2.2%.
Generally, in the first seven months of 2012: concentrated planted forest area was estimated at 87.9 thousand hectares, rose by 4.4%; scattered planted forest trees reached 125.1 million trees, by 0.8%; timber extraction reached 2628.8 thousand m3 (up 11.9%); firewood exploitation was 16.95 million ste (up 2.7%).
Forest protection and forest damage situation: Due to the impact of hot and drought weather in the Central Region, some localties faced high threat of forest fire, especially Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Khanh Hoa and Phu Yen. Although the levels, the branches have focused on strengthening the prevention of forest fire, but due to drought lasting many days, some places occurred the fire; some remote areas of the Central Highlands and the South East have still had illegal deforestation for cultivation in a few places. Damaged forest area in the period was 79 hectares, of which burnt forest area was 48 hectares, destroyed forest area was 31 hectares. Generally in the first 7 months of the year, the damaged forest area was 2.3 thousand hectares, increased 31% over the same period in 2011, in which burnt forest area was 1.7 thousand hectares, increased 94.6%; destroyed forest area was 624 hectares, equaling 70% over the same period.
3. Fisheries
Aquatic product output in July was estimated at 531.3 thousand tons, up 4.3% over the same period last year, in which fish production reached 379.2 thousand tons, up 3.4%; shrimp production reached 101.2 thousand tons, up 7.3%. In the first 7 months of 2012, total aquatic production was an estimation of 3180.5 thousand tons, up 5.3% compared to the same period last year, in which fish production reached 2 426.2 thousand tons, up 4.8%; shrimp production reached 339 thousand tons, up 6.5%.
3.1. Aquaculture
In the month, aquaculture production was estimated at 344.2 thousand tons, rose by 4.7% compared to the same period last year, of which fish production was 232.6 thousand tons, up 3%; shrimp production was 91.8 thousand tons; by 8%. Aquaculture production in the first 7 months was estimated at 1,731 thousand tons; increased 6.4%, in which fish production of 1,342.9 thousand tons, up 5.9%; shrimp production reached 261.4 thousand tons, up 7.4%.
Currently, the area of catfish in the harvest period increased rapidly, while processing enterprises have lacked of capital for purchase, facing difficulties in access to bank loans. So price of raw catfish continued to decline rapidly with a current price level of about 18.000VND/kg-19.000VND/kg (down nearly 10,000 VND/kg compared to peak rates in April this year), farmers are being lost and facing many difficulties. In the month, the output of catfish harvested in some key localities are as follows: An Giang reached 20.5 thousand tons; Dong Thap reached 25.7 thousand tons; Can Tho was 13 thousand tons; Vinh Long obtained 4 thousand tons; Tra Vinh gained 1.6 thousand tons.
Shrimp farming is in the main harvest, in the month harvested shrimp output reached 91.8 thousand tons, rose 8% over the same period, in which Ca Mau harvested 13 thousand tons; Long An reached 4.9 thousand tons; Kien Giang obtained 3.7 thousand tons; Tra Vinh gained 3,4 thousand tons; Bac Lieu harvested 2.3 thousand tons; Ben Tre gained 1.7 thousand tons ... So far the shrimp diseases have basically been controlled, but in the month it has generated more diseased shrimp farming areas in some localities such as Tien Giang with 107 ha; Quang Tri with 28 ha, ... mostly with white spot disease and liver, pancreas necrosis.
3.2. Aquatic exploitation
Bacause of the favorable sea weather with no heavy storms and because it is being in the current Southern main fishing harvest season, fishermen have sailed more. Aquatic exploitation output in July 2012 was 187.1 thousand tons, increased 3.7% compared to the same period in 2011, in which the sea exploitation reached 170.3 thousand tons, up 4.1%. In the first 7 months, total catching output reached 1,449.5 thousand tons, increased 4%, in which the fish output reached 1,083.3 thousand tons, up 3.5%; shrimp output reached 77.6 thousand tons, up 3.9%. Sea exploitation seperately was 1,356.2 thousand tons; increased 4.6%. So far, tuna fishing was at end of fishing season, the output reached quite well: Binh Dinh reached 5,635 tons, increased 49.8%; Phu Yen reached 6,000 tons, increased 10.5% over the same period.
4. Pests and natural disaster
As of July 20th 2012, there were 5 provinces where occurred under 21-day blue-ear disease, including: Lang Son, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Dak Lak and Nghe An; Quang Binh with under 21-day avian influenza and no more provinces with less than 21-day foot and mouth disease. /.
Ministry of Planning and Investment