LookAtVietnam – Thousands of hectares of rice fields in Mekong Delta provinces have been infested by rats, which could seriously affect the winter-spring crop.

Damage thus far has been more than 1,500ha of rice fields, about 30 per cent of the cultivation area, according to officials in the province’s Chau Thanh District.

Rats have migrated to the province from other areas that have been flooded, officials have said.

Another cause behind the migration is the uncontrolled hunting of cats and snakes, which has allowed the rat population to grow.

For years, responsible agencies have not taken preventive measures.

Nguyen Manh Thai, head of Chau Thanh’s Plant Protection Division, has urged farmers to spray near mouse holes and bushes, or flood the holes in rice fields.

However, many farmers said they could not afford the high costs of sprays or other materials and needed support from the province’s authority.

Farmers have also complained that agencies had done nothing, although they had asked for help two weeks ago.

Fifteen years ago, provincial authorities carried out a campaign to purchase rats’ tails, awarding cash promptly to those with the most tails.

Farmers have suggested that the province reinstitute the measure, which had been effective.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News