Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Coffee prices in Vietnam have reached the highest levelin six years owing to the shortage of export-qualified beans after the harvestwas hit by rains.
The price is in the range of 46,500 VND (2.04 USD) per kilo of robusta beans inthe Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, and 47,300 VND (2.08 USD) per kiloin Dak Lak province.
This is the highest level since September 16, 2011, when prices climbed to 47,400VND per kilo.
First water shortage in dry season and then unseasonal rain in the CentralHighlands from October to December last year has badly affected the 2016-17crop harvest, both in terms of productivity and quality.
Vietnam’s coffee output from the current crop has fallen by 11 percent againstthe previous season, the International Coffee Organisation has reported. In2016, 134,600 hectares of coffee trees in the region saw reduced output, whilenearly 7,900 hectares of trees died or did not produce any coffee beans.
The Central Highlands region has 576,800 hectares of coffee trees, accountingfor 89 percent of the country’s total coffee cultivation. Vietnam’s coffeeaccounts for one-fifth of the world coffee beans output.
It is currently dry season in the Central Highlands, and water shortage is abig problem. The Steering Committee for Central Highlands recently confirmed thatwater resources in the region will be able to supply sufficient water throughirrigation projects, rivers, streams and wells to irrigate coffee cultivationsuntil the end of the dry season.-VNA
VNA
