Gov’t pledges to back farmers in combating plant diseases

The Government gives farmers nationwide with aid in killing rice grassy stunt virus, rice ragged stunt virus and rice black-streaked dwarf virus in 2010-2011

The central budget will be used to fully cover costs for pesticides. Meanwhile, the local authorities are responsible for training those who will take part in extinguishing the epidemics, for supervising the clearance of infected rice areas, and for providing 12kg per month (6 months in maximum) to each member of the farmer households which suffer damages caused by these epidemics.

In addition, farmers in southern provinces (from Đà Nẵng City southwards) whose rice fields are damaged will receive VND 4 million for each cleared hectare of rice field.

Rice grassy stunt virus, rice ragged stunt virus and rice black-streaked dwarf virus appeared in the 10^th-month rice crop in 2009 in northern provinces and spread quickly.

Statistics show that over 30,000 ha of rice fields in 18 Red River Delta, northern mountainous and northern central provinces have been damaged.