HANOI –Vietnam’s coffee crop may fall considerably in CY 2014/14 against the previous season as a consequence of the unfavourable weather conditions, said the Vietnam Coffee and Cacao Association, or VICOFA.
Recent cold spells in the northern mountainous province of Son La have already damaged over 1,300 ha of local Arabica coffee, which accounts for 10% of the total 11,000 ha of the provincial coffee farming land, reported VICOFA.
Coffee in the Central Highland provinces of Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Gia Lai and Kon Tum has also deteriorated as the dry season has reached its peak, resulting in water shortages.
The region, which boasts the country’s largest coffee growing area, is now able to ensure water for only 60% of coffee cultivation land, while the remaining is suffering from drought.
In other news, Vietnam’s coffee exports totalled 184,100 tonnes in February, up 83.4% on year, Vietnam Customs reported on Thursday.
This brings the cumulative coffee exports the first five months of the 2013/2014 crop year to 604,200 tonnes, which is still 18 percent down from the same period last year, based on government statistics.
Vietnam’s Robusta coffee prices advanced more than 1.4 percent to 41,700 dong ($1.98) per kg on Wednesday, the highest since May last year and in line with global futures prices.
Source: VNA
