Severe floods in Lam Dong Province have devastated off‑season dragon fruit orchards, with waters in some areas rising above five feet. Farmers used makeshift flotation methods to salvage fruit, but many fields were abandoned and some growers face losses that could delay production for years. Officials linked the flooding to heavy rains and upstream dam releases; thousands of hectares and over 3,300 homes were affected and at least one death was reported. Experts call for flood‑resilient farming practices, early warnings, and infrastructure investment to reduce future risk.
Floods Devastate Off‑Season Dragon Fruit Orchards in Vietnam — Farmers Face Years of Loss
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Severe flooding in Vietnam's Lam Dong Province has heavily damaged off‑season dragon fruit orchards, leaving growers grappling with immediate losses and the prospect of long recovery times.
In Ham Thuan Nam Commune, a key dragon fruit producing area, floodwaters swept through plantations and rose in places above five feet, according to VnExpress. Farmers raced to salvage what they could despite hazardous conditions, sometimes using inflated truck inner tubes to float baskets of fruit through rushing, muddy water.
"Everyone is exhausted," said farmer Gia Quyen. "This is an off‑season crop grown using artificial lighting. The cost of electricity and fertilizers is massive. We had to encourage each other to keep going and salvage whatever we could."
Some teams managed to rescue substantial portions of their harvest, but many fields were abandoned when flood levels made access too dangerous. In Lap Nghia, grower Duong Hung Phong watched his orchard fill with water while the fruit remained unripe, making immediate harvesting impossible. Phong estimated his losses at roughly 80 million Vietnamese dong (about $3,030) and warned that prolonged inundation could damage roots and set production back by up to two years.
Scale and Causes
Officials said heavy rainfall combined with upstream dam releases triggered the flooding. Thousands of hectares of farmland were affected, more than 3,300 homes were submerged, and at least one person died. The National Center for Hydro‑Meteorological Forecasting described the storm as "unusual for this time of year," a sign of increasingly volatile weather patterns.
Impact on Food Supply and Local Economy
Flood losses threaten household incomes and can disrupt local and national supply chains, pushing food prices higher. Damage to orchards can delay future harvests, amplifying long‑term economic and ecological consequences for farming communities that depend on off‑season production to meet market demand and cover input costs.
Response and Long‑Term Measures
Local authorities and volunteer rescue teams assisted with evacuations, cleanup and damage assessment, and offered guidance on salvaging remaining crops. Experts say longer‑term solutions are essential to limit future losses in flood‑prone areas. Recommended measures include flood‑resistant planting techniques, raised beds, improved drainage and irrigation, and investments in monitoring systems and early‑warning alerts.
Strengthening resilient infrastructure and targeted support for affected farmers will be critical to protect livelihoods and stabilize regional food supplies as extreme weather events become more frequent.
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