Agricultural experts n Vietnam have called for an increase use of hybrid rice crops specially in the infertile areas in the Mekong Delta as an effective way to increase the efficiency and increase production.

Hybrid rice strains have a 10-25 per cent higher yields than natural strains and also offer numerous advantages like strong growth, toughness, and high resistance to many diseases like blast disease and ragged stunt rice caused by brown plant hoppers.

According to the agricultural ministry, last year, Viet Nam had 550,000–650,000 hectares under hybrid rice, almost all in the north.