illustrative image (Source: VNA) Dak Lak (VNA) - Pepper coverage in the Central Highlands provinces has increased, despiteprices falling by 9 - 11 percent over recent time.
According tolocal pepper farmers, despite pricees dropping to about 115,000 VND perkilogramme, almost half from the same period in 2016, pepper trees are stillmuch more lucrative than coffee, cashew and rubber trees or other crops.
More householdsin the Central Highlands have replaced their coffee, cashew and rubber treesand crops with pepper in spite of local authorities’ warnings and poorconditions for growing pepper.
Dak Lak had nearly600 hectares of pepper plant die in 2016 to being grown in unsuitable areas andthe use of low-quality pepper varieties, causing huge losses for farmers.
According tothe Central Highlands Steering Committee, the uncontrollable expansion ofpepper coverage will increase the risk of spreading diseases and killing peppercrops while reducing supply of other products.
The region’spepper coverage exceeds 71,000 hectares, including 14,400 hectares planted in2016, much larger than limits set in government plans.
Dak Lak has thelargest pepper coverage of more than 27,500 hectares, followed by Dak Nong withnearly 25,000 hectares, and Gia Lai with 15,697 hectares.-VNA
VNA
