Mekong River Delta wastes 140,000 tons of fertilizer a year
The Agricultural Environment Institute estimates that the volume of fertilizer unnecessarily used in agricultural production in Mekong Delta is around 140,000 tons a year. Mai Van Trinh, head of the institute, said that the abuse of plant protection chemicals in cultivation is becoming more common despite strong warnings by scientists. The use of fertilizers and pesticides without following instructions not only is inefficient, but also damaging to the environment. Acid residue in inorganic fertilizer will sour the land and generate toxins, thus reducing biological activity of the soil and crop yield. According to the World Bank, Vietnam has gained impressive growth in agricultural production in the last 20 years. However, its agriculture is closer to the critical point of the intensive production model in input factors such as labor, chemicals, and natural resources. A World Bank report pointed out that pollution in animal husbandry has been increasing the most. The waste from milk cow farming in Hanoi, Nghe An and HCM City has been seriously polluting the soil and water surface.
