TTO – In the evening December 01st, the first Vietnam Rice Festival closed after more than four days it excitingly took place in Vi Thanh town, Hau Giang province.

Today December 2^nd, the first Vietnam Rice Festival held in Hau Giang closed. As a “coincidence”, during the eventful days of the Festival, the rice market has also gotten hotter day by day. The rice price in the Mekong Delta has reached the “ceiling” of 6,000 VND/kg, being twofold in comparison with the one in the middle of the autumn-summer crop. There are worries from the public opinion: is there a rice fever as it was last year going to take place? The issues of rice growers’ profit, export rice’s quality and brand name, rice stores, methods of selling and buying rice have never been discussed as seriously as they were at the Festival this time.

DECISION
On the admission of “Prestigious Vietnam Rice Exporters”  

HEAD OF THE ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE OF VIETNAM NATIONAL RICE FESTIVAL

Hau Giang region overlooking gulf of Thailand that is a landlocked embayment and has the diurnal tide system with a small oscillation amplitute (approximately ¼ the tide amplitute of East sea), a low ebb and fall frequency, and quiet water surface; and the warm sea current creates the developed and diversified ecosystem, associated with the rapid growth of seafood species, and the great exploiting potential of sea economy.

18 Ngo boat teams from 08 provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta have participated in the festivity of competition, with 1,260 athletes (70 athletes per team).

From the early XX century, Xa No canal was deemed to be one of the first canals dug by dredger. Xa No canal is a life line water traffic system of the west, connecting Hau river from Can Tho side to Rach Gia, and flowing into the west sea. More than 100 years ago, after the completion of Xa No canal, Hau Giang region (the land in the southwest of Hau river) irrigation system was gradually widenned in order to change the agricultural aspect and the local inhabitants’ life.

With 34 km in length, 60 m in width of the canal surface, when the water from each side of the canal entered in with 1 km in length only, there were nearly a hundred thousand hectares (ha) of land to be entitled to enjoy the benefits from the canal.

In these days, traffic police forces are making hectic preparations for guiding delegations coming to the Rice Festival taking place from November 28th to December 2nd and they are determined to keep the traffic from being partially blocked at this time.

Xa No canal was dug by French colonialists a half century ago to exploit the uncultivated land of Hau Giang region. With 40km in length, the great value of alluvium supply, alum removal for thousands of hectares of rice paddy has been brought since its formation.

It is said that “missing to taste That Lat Cuom fish when traveling in Hau Giang is a great regret”. Dishes of That Lat fish are available in the most restaurants in Hau Giang. Hau Giang people consider That Lat fish as a proud speciality of the province.

Hau Giang, a province locates in the center of the Mekong Delta, among the river system of interlacing channels: Hau river, Cai Tu river, Quan Lo- Phung Hiep channel, Xa No channel, Nang Mau channel .... the climate is mild, less stormy, warm wet all year round and there is no cold season. The rainy season is from May to November, the dry season is from December to April following year.