A farmer in a rice field in Can Thoa, in the Mekong Delta, on February 28, 2023 in Vietnam (AFP/Archives/Nhac NGUYEN)
Rising salt waters on cultivated lands could cause Vietnam to lose nearly $3 billion in annual crops, state-controlled news website VNExpress reported on Sunday.
The damage is concentrated in the Mekong Delta region, nicknamed the “rice bowl of Vietnam”, because it is the one that produces food for tens of millions of people, according to the media, which cites a study by a scientific institute. dedicated to water resources attached to the Ministry of the Environment.
Salt water levels are often higher in the dry season, but become even more intense with rising sea levels, droughts, tidal variations and lack of fresh water supply upstream, leading to a loss of $2.94 billion in harvest, according to the study.
The situation in the southernmost province of Ca Mau is the most critical with an estimated loss of $665 million.
“With the current scenario, 29% of fruit trees would be affected” and “14% for rice”, while the fishing sector would decline by 30% with losses estimated at 840 million dollars, continues the study.
Earlier this month, the water resources department warned that rising saltwater could affect 80,000 hectares of rice and fruit crops in the Mekong Delta.
This rise in the area in 2023-2024 is above normal, according to the weather forecast center.
The Delta suffered from an unusually long heatwave in February that led to droughts and low freshwater levels in the region’s canals.
© 2024 AFP
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