Hau Giang integrates and grows

The development of wet rice cultivation and the introduction of Hau Giang’s agricultural specialties are two main topics in 4 sections representing Hau Giang province at the First -2009 Vietnam National Rice Festival. The theme of the sections is “Hau Giang – Integratio and Development”.

In the Mekong Delta, wet rice plants have accompanied the Vietnamese farmers for 300 years. During this period, the farmers attached themselves to winter-spring rice species. The imported high-yield rice, namely “than nong”, has been cultivated since 1967. And now, the Vietnamese rice is still advancing toward the future with the “sentiment’ of the wet rice plant from the beginning time.

* Development process of wet rice farming in Hau Giang

Hau Giang was characterized by farming the rice with two transplanting times formerly. Rice sowing carried out on partitions, and about one month later (in June, July approximately) the rice seedlings pulled up and then transplanted into watery places on the fields. After that two months, the young plants of rice pulled up one more and then re-transplanted when the water in the fields was in high level. Upon the ripen time, the rice was about 1m in height with long flowers depending on each clump of transplanted rice, ... To farm the rice by the said process, it was required for getting suitable tools respectively: including the table for pulling up the young plants of rice, the pile for transplanting rice seedlings, the curvy cutting tool for rice harvest (“vồng gặt”)...

The image of wet rice farming process which was more than hundred years ago reappeared in order to maintain the farmers’ love for the wet rice. The idea is shown by the arrangement diagram with the ceiling made by green cloth, and decorated by the yellow light carriage – green and yellow, 2 characteristic colours of the rice, associated with the sheaves of HG2 yellow rice - the speciality of Hau Giang of which trademark has been set up and steadied. The artistic photos shown in accordance with the subject of: the former rice farming process and the current one combined on the partition wall with 2m in height and 6m in length between 2 main stalls. The measure of arrangement as follows:

• Former rice farming process: Making the soil (plowing by buffalo – breaking up - raking) – Rice sowing – Transplanting tenth-month rice – Harvesting by the curvy cutting tool – Threshing rice by the foot of buffalo, or paddy threshing – Winnowing rice by mat - Drying rice on ground yards – Storing rice by the baskets – Pounding rice – Containing the rice seeds in pot.
• Current rice farming process: Making the soil (scarifier, cultivator) – Free sowing/ sowing by rows – High yield rice with short growth cycle – conjugate threshing and harvest – drying oven, sun-drying rice on cement yards – Storing rice in stock – Automatic rice-mill – Export rice vessel/rice truck.

The curvy cutting tool combined with fatal shears for harvesting tenth-month rice.

Fatal shears, point-tool, long handled knife – tools used in former rice farming.

Tools for threshing rice.

Rice transplanting piles.

* The objects on display – the fishing and agricultural tools for former rice farming

The unique characteristics of the stall also shown by images and the objects on display, the restored fishing and agricultural tools of Hau Giang farmers. The farmers’ love shown obviously through the scythes of which edges were worn out in width and with 2 fingers in size, the table for pulling up the young plants of rice, the pile for transplanting rice seedlings, the curvy cutting tool for rice harvest, hoe edges, ploughshears, rice-hulling mill, large and flat basket, sieve, poncho (the raincoat made by nipa leaves), tent made by mats for watching the fields,... have all preserved for tens of years, and the farmers in here have been donated the said objects to the Organization Committee of the Festival for showing and introducing to friends everywhere about the wet rice civilization of the region.

* The objects on display – the fishing and agricultural tools for former rice farming

The unique characteristics of the stall also shown by images and the objects on display, the restored fishing and agricultural tools of Hau Giang farmers. The farmers’ love shown obviously through the scythes of which edges were worn out in width and with 2 fingers in size, the table for pulling up the young plants of rice, the pile for transplanting rice seedlings, the curvy cutting tool for rice harvest, hoe edges, ploughshears, rice-hulling mill, large and flat basket, sieve, poncho (the raincoat made by nipa leaves), tent made by mats for watching the fields,... have all preserved for tens of years, and the farmers in here have been donated the said objects to the Organization Committee of the Festival for showing and introducing to friends everywhere about the wet rice civilization of the region.

* Agricultural specialities of Hau Giang

The agricultural specialities of Hau Giang also is going to be introduced originally in stalls by the subject of: Hau Giang in the age of development and integration.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Dong, Director of Agriculture & Rural Development Service of Hau Giang province, to hasten the development of Hau Giang Agriculture, the province has been carrying out the establishment of the high quality rice farming area with the scope of 60,000 hectares, in which about 10,000 – 15,000 hectares formed the special rice area with Hau Giang trademark. Forming the material areas of sugar-cane (10,300 hectares) and pineapple (2,500 hectares) for supplying enough materials for two existing sugar mills in Phung Hiep and Vi Thanh, and vegetable - fruit processing factories of the province basically and stably basing on changing new strains, increasing the yield as well as the quality of products step-by-step. Building orchards (10,000 hectares) with a variety of top economic efficiency fruit trees: including mangosteen, grapefruit, mango, sweet mandarine orange, orange, ... Especially setting up the trademark of Nam Roi grapefruit - Five sticks grapefruit (2,500 hectares) in Phi Huu commune - Chau Thanh A district. Exploiting effectively the surface water area of 54,000 hectares for aquaculture, protecting and developing the local special fishery varieties which are valuable and economic such as red pargo, field-anabas.

Basing on that view, Hau Giang agricultural specialities including: HG2 rice, sugar-cane and sweet sugar-cane products, Cau Duc pineapple, Nam Roi grapefruit, red pargo, field-anabas, ... are chosen as main models of the display area. The pillars of stalls will be covered by real sugar-cane pots and rice flowers. The models of cuom red pargo, field-anabas, fishery-rice, and products made by rice as well as the local special rice strains, ... are also going to be prepared carefully for the introduction in detail to the guests who are coming to the Festival.

10 types of seed rice include: 6 special rice types of Hau Giang, 4 former tenth-month rice types including Trang Tep, Nanh Chon, Huyet Rong and Tai Nguyen will be also displayed.

Besides, in the service and commerce area, the products such as Cau Duc pineapple, Nam Roi grapefruit, and cuom red pargo will be introduced and made as presents and goods on approval for selling by retail and willingly seeking partners for entering into the contract and co-operating lastingly. According to Mr. Nguyen Minh Duc, Manager of Fishery, Forestry and Agriculture Quality Management Department – Hau Giang Agriculture & Rural Development Service, the preparation steps and the products collected and restored for the display are willing for serving the requirements as proposed in accordance with the guidance of Mr. Tran Thanh Lap, Vice-Chairperson of Provincial People’s Committee: “The area of display must be really unique and show the specific characteristics of Hau Giang”.

The farmers’ love for the wet rice; the history of Hau Giang agricultural production and the potential of Hau Giang agricultural economy in the age of integration not only appear in the first Viet Nam Rice Festival, which the organizers and executives on the stalls of “Hau Giang in the age of development and integration” want to inform the friends everywhere.

TUYET AN