Of which the localities in the North reached 1,116.7 thousand ha, equaling 99% (a decrease of 10.9 thousand ha) because some localities converted a part of the rice-growing area to use for other purposes; the localities in the South gained 2,006.7 thousand ha, equaling 101.6%.

The Southern provinces, as of mid-May, harvested 1,918.1 thousand ha of winter-spring rice, accounting for 95.6% of the sown area and equaling 101.9% that figure in the same period last year. Together with the harvest of winter-spring rice, the localities in the South sowed 1,165.9 thousand ha of summer-autumn rice, equaling 104.5% of the recorded figure in the similar period in 2018 (the Mekong Delta achieved 1,077.8 thousand ha, equaling 104.6%).

As of mid-May, 463.7 thousand ha of maize were planted nationwide, equaling 95.8% of the same period last year; 70.4 thousand ha of sweet potatoes, equaling 98.1%; 134.2 thousand ha of peanut, equaling 98.5%; 21.4 thousand ha of soya, equaling 96.4%; 628.9 thousand ha of vegetables and beans, equalling 101.2%.

The whole country’s buffalo population in the month was estimated to decrease by 3.2% over the same period last year; ox population increased by 2.9%; poultry population increased by 7.1%; pig population decreased by 5.5%.

Generally for the first five months of the year, the concentrated planted forest area was estimated to reach 85.9 thousand ha, a decline of 6.9% compared to the same period last year. The number of separate planted trees gained 28.1 million trees, a decline of 3.2%; wood production achieved 5,370 thousand m³, a rise of 4.5%; firewood production recorded 7.3 million steres, a decrease of 1.7%.

Generally for the first five months of the year, damaged forest area was 496.7 ha, an increase of 23.9% against the same period last year, of which burnt forest area was 290.4 ha, a rise of 49%; destroyed forest area was 206.3 ha, a growth of 0.2%.

Generally for the first five months of the year, estimated fishing production reached 3,004.5 thousand tons, increasing by 6.2% from the corresponding period last year, of which the output of aquaculture gained 1,496.7 thousand tons, a growth of 7%; the production of fishery caught achieved 1,507.8 thousand tons, a rise of 5.4% (the production of sea catching reached 1,441.3 thousand tons, up 5.5%).

Source: Vitic/General Statistics office