Following the resolution of the Executive Board, the Vietnam Pepper Association conducted a survey of some key pepper growing areas in Binh Phuoc, Dak Nong, Dak Lak and Gia Lai provinces from June 9 to 12, 2020. .
1. Purpose
– Evaluating productivity and output of pepper in the crop year 2020.
– Surveying the status of pepper gardens and thereby estimating the percentage of area to increase or decrease.
– Assess the impact of weather, pests and care on the harvest of 2021.
– Investigate inventory in people, assess tolerance, ability to maintain and restore pepper gardens in the coming period. Learn the cultivation process, the development direction.
– Connecting farmers and domestic exporters.
2. Composition of the mission
– Vietnam Pepper Association Office.
– Representative of Plant Protection Department.
– Representative of Department of Crop Production
– Representative of Plant Quarantine Center
– Southern Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology
– 22 pepper import-export service enterprises.
3. Survey program
– June 9, 2020: Surveying some pepper gardens in Loc Ninh district (Binh Phuoc)
– June 10, 2020: Surveying some pepper gardens in Dak R’Lap and Dak Song districts (Dak Nong)
– June 11, 2020: Surveying some pepper gardens Cu Kuin, Cu M’Gar, Buon Ho Town, Krong Nang, Ea H’Leo (Dak Lak)
– June 12, 2020: Surveying some pepper gardens in Chu Se, Mang Yang and Dak Doa districts (Gia Lai).
4. Result
After interviewing some farmers, directly visiting and observing pepper growing areas along the road in the program, the results of the evaluation of pepper situation in the surveyed areas are as follows:
* Loc Ninh and Binh Phuoc districts:
Due to the impacts of climate change lasting from 2019 to 2020, causing widespread water shortages, along with the price of world pepper has continuously decreased from 2017 to now lower than production costs of people. pepper cultivation, so the income life of farmers facing many difficulties is difficult to continue investing in caring for pepper.
According to the chairman of Loc Quang Pepper Cooperative (Loc Quang commune, Loc Ninh district), the rate of conversion area of other crops in the region accounts for 15% to 20%; investment costs are down about 40% for the 2019/2020 crop; Inventory of the people is only about 20%. Although Loc Quang Pepper Cooperative, although the pepper area is not changed (21 hectares of 9 members), the pepper output in 2020 will only reach 40 tons, down 40% compared to 2019. The increase in cost, difficult The difficulty in developing certification such as Loc Quang Cooperative is the challenges that are posing to organic production models.
Refer to the forecast of Loc Ninh Pepper area in particular and Binh Phuoc Province in general will reduce about 20% because:
– The garden is very old, with an average age of less than 20 years so the productivity is low.
– Due to a sharp fall in pepper prices, increasing production costs, especially harvesting costs, therefore farmers reduce investment in orchards.
* Districts of Dak R’Lap and Dak Song – Dak Nong
As the two districts with the largest pepper area in Dak Nong province, the weather and soil conditions are favorable for pepper cultivation. A few rains came after the 2020 season just ended early in January and many gardens are coming out. However, the impact of last year’s drought, along with the lack of investment in farmer care led to a decrease in productivity, so the harvest in 2020 decreased slightly compared to 2019.
Along the survey route, it shows that pepper gardens are well developed, pillars are fully utilized, developing in a sustainable manner. Area of dead pepper is mainly due to old age but not significantly. In return, the area of nursery schools is in the yield stage. Therefore, the forecast of pepper production in Dak Nong province in 2021 is not lower than the previous year. Some households reported that about 80% of farmers in the area used bank loans or advanced advances from agents to reinvest. After harvesting, farmers have to sell pepper to pay off bank debts and interests. Therefore, inventory in the population is not much, only about 20%. The belief that price increases in the coming period will be a driving force for farmers to maintain and even increase investment in the following year.
* Cu Kuin, Cu M’Gar, Buon Ho, Krong Nang and Ea H’Leo Districts – Dak Lak
There are differences between regions. The pepper gardens in Cu Kuin have developed well despite signs of degradation compared to the previous year due to farmers’ limited investment in care and adverse effects of weather. But at pepper gardens in Cu M’Gar, Buon Ho, Krong Nang to Ea H’Leo that the survey team went through, the area of barren pepper gardens and dead in these areas was quite high. In fact, the remaining pepper area for good productivity is the gardens associated with export companies with organic, sustainable production processes, using live pillars and intercropping with coffee plants. The area of dead pepper is gradually being replaced by coffee, corn, and passion fruit. Estimated harvest output in 2020 will decrease by 20% compared to 2019.
* Districts Chu Se, Mang Yang, Dak Doa – Gia Lai
Along the survey route in Dak Doa and Mang Yang districts, the death rate was about 40-50% compared to the peak period in 2017. The Chu Se and Chu Puh areas were reported with a higher figure of about 60. -70%. Difficulties in capital in care and investment; adverse weather; problems of fast death, slow death and pests have pushed Gia Lai pepper farmers into difficult situations when a series of pepper gardens died, unable to recover. Similar to Dak Lak, pepper gardens are fertilized with organic fertilizer, little use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and shady pillars.
5. General evaluation
At the end of the survey, the members of the delegation gathered some comments as follows:
a. Situation of productivity and output in 2020
– The gardens grow well, the productivity is stable, with investment and care: Dak Nong province (the two districts with the largest pepper areas are Dak R’Lap and Dak Song; Binh Phuoc province: Bu Dang district Dak Lak province: Cu Kuin district and pepper gardens are associated with exporting enterprises with an organic, sustainable production process, using live pillars and intercropping.
– Due to the low pepper price in recent years, farmers lack of investment and care leading to many dead areas and low productivity. Dak Lak Province: Cu M’Gar, Buon Ho, Krong Nang and Ea H’leo districts; Gia Lai: districts of Se Se, Chu Puh, Dak Doa and Mang Yang. Especially, Chu Se and Chu Puh areas, the area of dead pepper is quite high.
– Inventory among farmers is not much, about 20% because most farmers sold to pay bank debt and cover production costs. Inventory in the system of supply agents and exporters has not been listed.
Due to the above reasons, it is estimated that pepper output in the 2020 crop will decrease by about 15% compared to 2019, reaching around 240,000 tons.
b. Expected crop year 2021
According to the survey, it is expected that the area, productivity and output of 2021 pepper will decrease sharply compared to 2020 for the following reasons:
– Dak Lak and Gia Lai provinces are the two provinces with large dead pepper area and low productivity.
– Pepper prices have been low for many years, production costs have risen, farmers’ incomes have been difficult, so investment in tree care has been reduced.
– Expected output of crop year 2021 may decrease and production will only reach around 220,000 tons
6. Proposal
The VPA proposed the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and its related units (Department of Crop Production, Plant Protection Department, Agricultural Extension Center, Provincial Agriculture Department and VPA to organize a survey to assess the current status of real pepper area. In order to have an expected area, productivity, crop output of pepper 2021.
VPA
