This is a unique rice variety that requires no fertilization, pesticides, or weeding throughout its cultivation process. When the rice is ripe, locals simply go to the fields to harvest, selling it at prices double that of regular high-yield rice.
Taking advantage of the long flood season lasting from 5 to 6 months, residents of Phuoc Islet along the My Luong River in My An Commune, Cho Moi District, An Giang Province, plant flood-season rice.
Flood-season rice blooms abundantly with large, round grains. (Photo: Thanh Sang/TTXVN).
With nearly 1 hectare dedicated to flood-season rice along the My Luong River, Mr. Nguyen Van Tam from My Loi Hamlet, My An Commune, Cho Moi District, has been cultivating flood-season rice for over 20 years. The rice variety he grows is Nang Tay Dum, known for its soft, fragrant rice that can be stored through multiple harvests.
Walking along the dike to observe the golden fields ready for harvest, Mr. Tam shared that every year, from late June, when the floodwaters from the Mekong River begin to flow into the Mekong Delta, his family is busy preparing the land and sowing flood-season rice. This rice variety has a remarkable biological mechanism, is rich in nutrients, and thrives naturally.
“When the floodwaters arrive, many riverside fields become submerged. Without flood-season rice, these fields would be left abandoned. This rice variety has a unique biological mechanism that allows it to grow according to the floodwater level, naturally absorbing silt for growth. As a result, the rice does not require fertilizers or pesticides. Farmers only expend effort on sowing and harvesting, which reduces costs and increases income,” Mr. Tam explained.
Mr. Nguyen Van Tam (My Loi Hamlet, My An Commune, Cho Moi District, An Giang Province) with flood-season rice plants over 2 meters tall preparing for harvest. (Photo: Thanh Sang/TTXVN)
With his extensive experience in growing flood-season rice, Mr. Tam revealed that in years when the floodwaters rise high and the fields are deeply submerged, the rice stalks grow tall, with some exceeding 2 meters; they bloom profusely, producing large, round grains with high yields. In years with lower floods, the rice remains shorter, with smaller blooms and lower yields.
Flood-season rice has a growth period of about 6 months or longer, depending on the planting time. From November to December, when the floodwaters recede from the fields back into the river, the rice stalks bend down, bloom, and ripen to a golden color.
The rice from flood-season cultivation has a reddish hue and is fragrant and delicious, so after harvest, families often reserve it for year-round consumption, selling any surplus. Due to its clean quality, it is purchased by traders at prices double that of regular rice.
This year, with significant flooding, many families on Phuoc Islet have enjoyed a bountiful flood-season rice harvest, yielding approximately 2 tons per hectare. Currently, traders are buying flood-season rice at a high price of 16,000-17,000 VND per kilogram, which is double the price of regular rice. After covering all expenses, farmers earn a profit of over 20 million VND per hectare.
Once the flood-season rice is harvested and the floodwaters have receded from the fields, residents utilize the clean straw as fertilizer to plant soybean, young corn, vegetables, chili, and squash, which also yield well.
According to the An Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, flood-season rice in the province is primarily cultivated in the two districts of Tri Ton and Cho Moi, covering a total area of approximately 76 hectares. Since the area for flood-season rice is still quite modest and heavily reliant on flood seasons, its products are not widely sold in the market.
In the upper regions of the Mekong Delta, flood-season rice has been commonly grown since the 1980s and 1990s during flood seasons. However, as most localities constructed dikes to prevent flooding, farmers began to select high-yield rice varieties for the third crop, leading to a reduction in flood-season rice area. Consequently, the quality and yield of flood-season rice have significantly declined due to genetic deterioration.
To conserve and enhance the value of flood-season rice in the Mekong Delta, Master Le Thanh Phong, Deputy Director of the Institute of Climate Change at An Giang University, has collected, researched, and developed numerous new flood-season rice varieties, helping farmers increase their income during the flood season.
According to Master Le Thanh Phong, currently, the Institute of Climate Change at An Giang University not only preserves 300 flood-season rice varieties but has also successfully researched two specific flood-season varieties of Vietnam, namely Huong Lai and Nang Tay Dum, which produce clean, soft, and fragrant rice.
After 5 trial planting seasons, the hybrid rice variety meets market demands and has the potential for widespread cultivation, increasing farmers’ income.
Master Le Thanh Phong stated that due to the impacts of climate change, the Institute of Climate Change is also researching the flood-season rice variety that is “nature-friendly,” which can be planted even in low flood years or when there is no flooding.
Simultaneously, the institute is ready to assist residents in large-scale production during the flood season for the rice varieties currently being preserved, such as Nang Pha, Nang Tay Dum, Tau Binh, Chech Cut, Nang Choi, Nang Chi, Bong Sen, and Huong Lai…
