Harvest season transforms Hanoi’s outskirts into a living canvas

These days, the winter - spring rice fields in several suburban districts and towns of Hanoi such as Thach That, Ba Vi, Soc Son, and Son Tay Town have turned a golden yellow. Taking advantage of the favourable weather, local farmers are busy harvesting the ripe rice.

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With two combine harvesters working simultaneously, the vast rice fields stretching as far as the eye can see in An Thuong commune are harvested in just two days.

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Local farmers say that this year has been a good harvest, with every sào (an area equivalent to 360 m² in Northern Vietnam) yielding over 10 bags of rice on average.

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Thanks to the selection of suitable rice varieties and the application of advanced farming techniques, the rice has grown well, with an estimated yield of 6.5 tonnes per hectare.

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Fearing adverse weather during the stormy season, which could increase risks, local farmers have mobilised all available labour and machinery to accelerate the harvest.

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Hoang Van Dich, a local farmer in An Thuong commune, says his family has farmed approximately 14,400 m² this year, and with yields reaching 12 bags per 360 m² on average, the family is well-stocked with quality rice.

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With clear skies on their side, farmers have rushed to complete the harvest before the storm clouds roll in. As the first rain falls, they’re already back in the fields, plowing and preparing for the next crop cycle.

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A farmer shares that farming today is no longer as hard as it used to be, owing to the use of machinery, and the yield is now much higher.

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Machinery has helped reduce manual labour, and thanks to the use of hired combine harvesters, the harvesting process in many localities has progressed quickly.

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The owner of a combine harvester says that the harvesting fee is only VND180,000 per 360 m²

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It takes only about five minutes to harvest 360 m² of rice, making today’s harvesting work far less labour-intensive for farmers than in the past.

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After the combine harvester finishes its job, farmers return to glean leftover rice, making sure no heavy, ripe grains missed by the machine go to waste.