Vietnam floods! Large areas of durian and pineapple guava crops affected, numerous orchards facing total loss.

According to a recent report by VNExpress Vietnam News, Vietnam has been experiencing frequent extreme weather events. Due to the impact of heavy rains and floods, the water levels in the rivers of Tay Ninh Province (Tinh Tay Ninh) and the Tay My area (northern part of the Mekong Delta plain) in southern Vietnam have risen, causing dikes to burst. Hundreds of hectares of pineapple, durian, and rice crops are under threat, with losses estimated to be in the billions of Vietnamese dong.

From July to August 2025, the total water volume flowing into the Mekong Delta is expected to be about 10-15% higher than the multi-year average. According to the forecast from the Hydro-Meteorological Station of Dong Thap Province, the flood levels in various regions will be 0.4-1 meters higher than the flood peak in the same period of 2024. The floods combined with tidal surges could affect 220 dikes in the Mekong Delta, impacting over 56,000 hectares of rice, crops, and fruit trees.

In mid-October, the 4.5-hectare pineapple orchard of fruit farmer Nguyen Hong Phuc in Tan Hung District (Huyen Tan Hung), Long An Province (Tinh Long An), was submerged in water. The area borders Cambodia and is the source region where the Mekong River enters Vietnam. The orchard has over 3,000 trees aged 18 months, which were about to bear fruit for the first time. Due to the prolonged submersion, it is likely that only about 50% of the area can be saved. The remaining area, if well cared for, will need at least another year to bear fruit again.

About 20 kilometers away, the durian orchard of the Nguyen Van Hat couple was also submerged by the flood. In about a week, 210 durian trees completely died and will have to be uprooted and replanted after the water recedes.

It is reported that cultivating off-season durians has become a trend in Vietnam, with orchard purchase prices reaching 100,000-130,000 Vietnamese dong per kilogram (approximately 27-36 yuan) in previous years. The natural flowering period of durians in the Mekong Delta is from December to January of the next year, with the harvest period from April to May; in the southeastern part of Vietnam, the flowering period is from January to February, and the harvest period is from May to June; in the central highlands, the flowering period varies from March to May with altitude changes, and the harvest period is concentrated from August to October. The natural flowering pattern of durians makes the yield and harvest period completely dependent on the weather. Through technical intervention, off-season production can be achieved, with flowering in the southeastern region delayed until January-February, and in the central highlands, it can be extended until March-May. This precise control allows Vietnamese durians to be sold at high prices during the market gap from November to March of the next year, with prices 30%-50% higher than during the traditional peak season.

Image source: vnexpress2025 International Fruit and Vegetable Report. All rights reserved. For reprint permission, contact the International Fruit and Vegetable Report and credit the source.