In his dispatch, PM Dung underscored difficulties for the 2009-2010 crops such as prolonged droughts, higher temperatures, and an increase in areas where the rice is grassy, ragged and stunted, or infected with worms, all of which could dramatically reduce rice output and threaten national food security.

Mr Dung asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Electricity of Vietnam Group to regulate water at reservoirs to ensure water for cultivation. In places where water is insufficient, he said, farmers are recommended to change trees planted and avoid abandoning land.

The government leader urged sowing seeds according to the schedule of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and detecting and curbing any brown insect outbreak. He also told the relevant agencies to prevent organizations and individuals from selling bogus pesticides or inflating pesticide prices, and to punish them for violations.

The media should cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and People’s Committees of localities to warn people of droughts and advise them on proper preventive measures to involve more people in combating droughts and crop diseases.