VIENTIANE – More than 3,000 ha of coffee farms and cash crop plantation farms in Pakxong District, Champasack Province have been damaged by salt fog, according to a Pakxong district report last month.
The damaged area is scattered across 27 coffee farming villages and cash crop cultivation projects resulting from investments by local and overseas companies in Pakxong District, Champassack Province.
The Bolivanh plateau in Pakxong District is a wetland that is suitable for livestock farming and crop cultivation and especially coffee bean plantations.
A Pakxong Committee for the Prevention and Management of Natural Disasters released a report this week that on 15-16 January the temperature in the Bolivanh plateau declined sharply and resulted in the death of many coffee trees and cash crops from salt fog.
The initial report produced by the district committee indicated that more than 2,850 ha in 27 villages and more than 2,550 families were directly affected. Out of the total area, over 2,700 ha are coffee farms and almost 26 ha are vegetables.
In the past, salt fog has hit Pakxong District once every 7-10 years. However, since 2009, the fog has come every year. This year the fog hit much earlier when compared to last year.
Last year’s damaged area was over 3,000
