Traders from corners have rushed to the Mekong delta province of Tra Vinh to buy rice straw for cow farmers.
Traders rushed to districts Cau Ke, Tieu Can and Tra Cu to purchase all straw. Nguyen Van Dang in Cau Ke District said that everyday traders from the Mekong delta province of Ben Tre wanted to purchase as many as straw at VND80,000-100,000 per 1,000 meter squared, saying that demand for straw is increasing drastically.
Trader Huynh Thanh Dan in Ba Tri district of Ben Tre province revealed that he bought straw in Tra Vinh at VND14,000 a straw roll ( a roll equivalent to 12 kilogram) and sell to cow farmers in Ben Tre at VND20,000-23,000 per roll.
Because this year, Ben Tre Province suffered serious salinity resulting in dying rice leading to a severe reduction of straw – food of cow; accordingly cow farmers have no choice but buy straw from other provinces.
Dan said the Mekong delta is entering the end of winter-spring crop resulting in less straw; hence traders tried to outdo each other in buying straw by paying a deposit in advance to farmers.
Consequently the cost of straw hiked from VND50,000 per 1,000 meter square to VND100,000 per 1,000 meter square.
