Mekong Delta should safeguard fruit orchards from saltwater in rivers: experts
The Mekong Delta region should take proactive measures to protect fruit orchards in the 2020 – 21 dry season as severe saltwater intrusion in rivers is forecast in the coming months, experts have said.
The measures should include zoning areas for each type of fruit, securing irrigation water and providing extra care for fruits that cannot tolerate salinity.
The country’s largest fruit producing region had 25,000ha of orchards affected by saltwater intrusion and lack of irrigation in the 2019 – 20 dry season.
Nearly 11,200ha suffered damages of more than 70 percent, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Recently, the delta’s 12 provinces and Can Tho City took measures like adjusting crop farming schedules and storing irrigation water, limiting the damage to rice and other crops since farmers grew them earlier or stopped growing in affected areas.
The provinces of Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, and Soc Trang were the worst affected in terms of damage to fruit crops.
