The El-Nino caused high temperatures and reduced rainfall has severely impacted Vietnam's coffee farming and looms to decrease its output drastically this year.
Coffee farmers of the world's second-largest coffee exporter have expanded their planting areas with rising international coffee prices in recent years. But the extreme weather has dealt them a heavy blow.
In Gia Lai Province, a major coffee producer in Vietnam, numerous local farmers are upset by the ongoing drought.
"Because of the drought and little rain this year, the coffee production is likely to drop by about 30 percent from normal years. My coffee plantation usually produces 6 tons of coffee beans each year, sometimes even eight tons. But this year it might be only four to five tons," said Nguyen Van Hoa, a local farmer.
"The coffee output this year could decline by about 40 percent, possibly even more," said Le Duc Nien, another coffee grower.
Currently, local farmers are only able to increase irrigation to mitigate the impact of extreme weather on the coffee production, with little effect. Meteorologists noted that Vietnamese coffee strains are sensitive to temperatures and highly vulnerable to extreme weather conditions.
"Coffee trees are highly sensitive to temperatures. They grow best only at temperatures ranging from 24 to 28 degrees Celsius. When the temperatures go up, the yields will go down, compromising the quality of coffee flowers and beans. And at higher temperatures, pests and diseases are easy to spread," said Truong Ba Kien, a Vietnamese meteorologist.
"Coffee trees in Vietnam are dominantly Robusta, a type of coffee trees that need a lot of water. The scarcity of water and rain in the recent time has severely impacted Vietnam's coffee industry," said Do Xuan Hien, office director of Vietnam Coffee-Cocoa Association (VICOFA).
The drought in Vietnam has also affected the production of peppers, avocados, and durians in Gia Lai.
Drought reduces Vietnam's coffee output
Drought reduces Vietnam's coffee output
Drought reduces Vietnam's coffee output
A Chinese envoy stressed the need for global cooperation to promote international nuclear arms control efforts amid unprecedented and formidable challenges faced by the international nuclear disarmament process, while addressing a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting on nuclear weapons on Monday.
During the thematic debate on nuclear weapons at the 79th session of the UNGA, Shen Jian, Chinese Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs, stated that the international nuclear disarmament process is encountering unparalleled challenges stemming from the lack of strategic mutual trust among major powers, escalating geopolitical tensions, and prolonged regional conflicts.
Therefore, there is a need for all countries to jointly work towards reducing nuclear risks, advancing nuclear disarmament, and preventing nuclear proliferation, Shen noted.
According to the Chinese envoy, it is necessary to deescalate regional tensions and end hostilities promptly, reduce the role of nuclear weapons in national security policies, cease the provocative deployment of strategic forces to the forefront, adhere to a practical and feasible path of nuclear disarmament, maintain an objective and rational stance on nuclear transparency issues, and promote international efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.
"Both the symptoms and root causes of the prominent risks and challenges in the nuclear field should be addressed. Being obsessed with the Cold War mentality, hyping up major power competition, and inciting bloc confrontation will only lead the international nuclear arms control process into a dead end. The international community should uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, adhere to true multilateralism, respect each other's legitimate security concerns, and work together to promote the international nuclear arms control process," Shen said.
As the current coordinator of the cooperation mechanism of the five nuclear-weapon states, China hosted an expert-level meeting in New York on October 7 to start substantive work during its tenure. China will also continue its efforts to enhance dialogue and cooperation among the five nuclear-weapon states, Shen said.
China calls for global efforts to promote int'l nuclear arms control process
