At the end of September Nguyen Van Can, 50, of Hoa Luu Commune in Hau Giang Province's Long My District prepared to sow winter-spring rice in his three-hectare farm. He said he was sowing earlier than usual fearing a possible drought once the rainy season ends in October. The dry season in southern Vietnam lasts from November to April. "Land in this area is at risk of salinity from the sea and with the forecast that the rainy season will end early this year, farmers have started the winter-spring crop earlier than normal." Tran Ba Hoang, director of the Southern Institute of Water Resources Research, said at a seminar in Can Tho City on September 14 that the total rainfall in the delta this year is forecast to be around 1,350mm, or 13% lower than normal. The Southern Regional Hydrometeorological Station said the flow in the dry season from the Mekong’s upstream areas would be 20 - 25% lower than normal. In Hau Giang Province, 12,000 ha of winter-spring rice and more than … [Read more...] about Mekong Delta braces for severe drought, river salinity
Mekong delta river cruises
Logistics investors heat up the market
illustration photo/ Photo Le Toan The very first logistics centre from Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP) is now being constructed in the south-central province of Quang Ngai, and will be completed and put into use by the end of this year. Being built according to Lotus standards of the Vietnam Green Building Council, the 6-hectare Sembcorp Logistics Park will boast three modern single-storey warehouse blocks. Singapore’s Sembcorp Development, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Industries, and its state-owned joint venture partner in Vietnam, Becamex IDC Corporation, in August also announced the addition of four new VSIPs. According to Charles Chong, director of Sembcorp in Vietnam, the country has developed strongly in recent years and will continue to be an important manufacturing country in the Asian region. “With the positive growth momentum of production activities and investment attraction, along with the government’s infrastructure upgrade plan, the … [Read more...] about Logistics investors heat up the market
Tien Giang working to handle shortcomings in IUU fishing
Over the past time, Tien Giang has kept close control of the fleet of fishing boats. (Photo: VNA) Tien Giang (VNA) – The People’s Committee of the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang has instructed relevant departments and agencies to deal with shortcomings in the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing based on recommendations by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The locality said it will quickly investigate, verify and handle any case of brokering and facilitating illegal operations in foreign waters by local fishing vessels and fishermen. The move is in anticipation of the fourth inspection by the EC delegation over Vietnam's efforts to combat IUU fishing from October 10-18. Over the past time, Tien Giang has kept close control of the fleet of fishing boats, including the total number of vessels, their registration, operational licences, installation of the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), and information updates on the … [Read more...] about Tien Giang working to handle shortcomings in IUU fishing