Storm​ No. 3‌ Leaves Devastating Impact ​on‍ Livestock Farmers in Northern Vietnam

The recent ⁣storm⁤ has ⁣left millions of dead chickens and pigs in its wake, causing tens of billions ⁢of‌ dong in losses for farmers in northern Vietnam. The devastating impact of the storm ⁢has left many farmers on the brink of bankruptcy, with ‌some‍ crying over‍ the loss of⁢ their life’s work.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the storm swept through‌ the region, leaving pig and chicken farm owners unable to react. As of September 14, nearly 21,800 livestock and 2.62 million ‌poultry had died, causing heavy losses for farmers.

The provinces with the most livestock and poultry ⁢deaths include Hai Phong, Hai Duong, ‌Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh, and Hanoi. In⁤ recent days, after the floodwaters receded, many farms⁢ were littered with dead chickens and pigs. Some places had to call for support to sell these products, ⁤as the barns were so badly ‍damaged that they could not ⁢be restored immediately.

Farmer’s Losses Mount

In Bai Gia area, Tam Xa commune (Dong Anh, Hanoi), Mr. Hoang Ngoc Doan looked blankly at⁤ the few chickens left after the historic flood. ‍In the 2.6ha farm with 7⁤ rows of ​cages that he has‌ built over ⁣the past 14⁤ years, there are‍ still dead chickens​ and scattered eggs that have not been picked up yet.

Mr. Doan’s farm raised 80,000 egg-laying hens and pullets, but now almost‌ all of ​them are dead. He confided that on the evening of September 9, he proactively went ⁤to the dike to‌ check the water level⁤ when ​he heard about heavy rain and floods. Seeing that the water was only 2 meters away from reaching the dike,​ he ​planned to move‌ the ⁤chickens on the farm to a⁢ higher location the ‌next⁢ day.

However, ⁤the water continued to rise, and the chicken coop was soon submerged. Everyone’s efforts were only‍ able to save ⁢nearly 10,000​ chickens, while the rest ⁢had to watch them drown ‌in the floodwaters. Before the flood,⁢ he‌ earned⁤ 100 million VND per ​day from selling chicken ⁣eggs. “Now ⁢there is nothing left, all my assets are gone,” he shared sadly.

Pig Farmers Also Affected

In Tuy Lap commune (Yen Bai city), dead pigs are scattered across ⁣fields, village roads, and river⁣ banks. At a pig farm⁣ with a scale ⁣of 5,000 pigs, ⁣only 50 are still alive. The rest have been swept ‌away by floodwaters and lie ⁣dead in their‍ pens.

Ms. Tran Thi Vinh, Director of Hoa Binh ⁢Minh Agricultural Project in Tuy Lap commune, shared her story with Nong Nghiep Viet⁢ Nam⁤ newspaper.⁢ She ⁤could not ‍hold back her tears, ⁤sobbing⁣ and saying: ‍”The whole farm only has 50 pigs left alive. The loss is too⁣ great, now I don’t​ know what to do.”

Despite⁣ having reinforced the barns, the flood was too great. The ‍flood ​came and went,⁣ the ⁣barns ⁢collapsed, nearly 5,000 pigs drowned. The estimated damage at Ms. Vinh’s⁣ farm was ⁢up‌ to tens of billions of dong.

Future Uncertain​ for Farmers

Storm No. ⁤3 has passed, ‌leaving⁤ farmers with collapsed barns and millions of chickens and pigs⁤ dead. ⁣Many livestock farmers in some northern provinces are in⁣ dire straits, at risk ​of bankruptcy. Because ​all⁣ their assets have been swept⁣ away, and‌ the⁤ debt they have to bear has become even heavier.

As the farmers struggle to come to‌ terms with their losses, the‌ future looks uncertain. Will they be able to recover from this devastating​ blow, or will the storm prove to be the final ‌nail in the coffin for‍ their livelihoods?