Heavy rainfall following storm Bualoi has flooded vegetable-producing areas in Nghe An, Vietnam. Many localities had just recovered from storm No. 5, but winter vegetable crops are again under pressure, raising concerns over supply shortages.
From the evening of September 26 to the morning of September 27, heavy rains submerged dozens of hectares in Quynh Mai ward and Quynh Anh commune, considered major production zones. Recently sown crops and areas that had just taken root were heavily damaged.
Ho Dang Tam, head of Quynh Bang Agricultural Cooperative in Quynh Anh commune, said: "This rain was too sudden and heavy. Many areas of sweet cabbage, onions, kohlrabi, carrots, etc., were flooded, eroded, and broken. The areas of newly sown vegetables, which had just taken root, are now almost all damaged. Even vegetables that recovered after the previous storm are having difficulty surviving."
In Quynh Mai ward, farmers harvested onions early to reduce losses. Grower Tran Van Xuan said, "If we leave it a few more days, the onions will definitely spoil. Harvesting early will reduce productivity, but fortunately, onion prices are high, so we can salvage some of it."
Farmers are working in rain-soaked fields with pumps running to drain water. Nguyen Canh Tuy, vice chairman of the Ward Farmers' Association, explained: "The heaviest damage was to chayote, kohlrabi, carrots; many planted areas were damaged before they could take root. The Association is mobilizing people to quickly harvest and focus on dredging and clearing ditches to save the remaining areas."
By September 27, hundreds of hectares across the province had been affected. Some fields were not completely destroyed, but recovery prospects remain low. Winter vegetables, seen as a recovery crop after storm No. 5, are again under threat.
Other areas, including Vinh Hung ward, Dai Hue, and Lam Thanh communes, reported similar conditions. Grower Nguyen Van Quy noted: "I just planted 2 sao of sprouts and mustard greens, now they are all submerged. The young vegetables are soft, the rain poured continuously all night, so the water did not have time to recede, everything was crushed."
Agricultural authorities warn that prolonged rains risk damaging newly sown and rooted crops, while mature fields are also recording lower yields. Reduced output at the end of the year and during the Lunar New Year could disrupt supply and raise prices.
Wholesale traders are already preparing for shortages. Nguyen Thi Hang from Vinh market said: "If the rain continues, many vegetables in the province will be damaged, forcing us to import them from other places, with high costs, and prices will certainly increase sharply."
Farmers and cooperatives are working to drain fields and harvest any crops that can still be marketed. These efforts are short-term responses to limit further losses.
Source: Nghe An