Tra Vinh needs VND76 billion to cope with drought, saline intrusion
The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh has asked the government for VND76 billion (over US$3.3 million) in financial support to help the province cope with drought and saline intrusion in the dry season in 2017.
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Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Dong Van Lam said of the amount, VND74 billion will be spent on dredging canals and repairing irrigation works including sluice gates. The remaining money will be used to help farmers rent pumps to water crops.
According to Deputy Director of the provincial Agriculture and Rural Development Department Doan Tan Trieu, the water flow to the Mekong Delta this year is forecasted to be 20-50% lower than the annual average level. Tra Vinh will suffer from serious water shortages to water its winter-spring rice, other food crops and orchards.
Farmers in Tra Vinh have so far planted nearly 60,000 ha with winter-spring rice, and half of them are facing water shortage and saline intrusion.
Drought and saline intrusion caused heavy losses amounted to VND500 billion (US$21.9 million) to Tra Vinh in 2016.
