In Hamlet 4 of Ia Ko Commune, many coffee farms have reported significant losses of developing berries. Nguyen Tan Luc, who cultivates 1,500 coffee trees, said fruit drop has persisted for nearly a month despite efforts to cool the trees through irrigation and apply fungicides. Around 30 percent of the young berries have fallen during the critical stage of bean formation. Many remaining fruits have turned yellow and detach easily even with slight movement of the branches.
The problem is not isolated. Numerous households in the commune have recorded fruit losses ranging from 10 percent to 30 percent, with the phenomenon becoming more pronounced after the first heavy rains of the rainy season.
Mr. Siu Leng, Head of Hamlet 4, said both local farmers and his own family have been affected. The fallen coffee berries are typically about the size of a chopstick tip. Preliminary assessments suggest the trees experienced thermal shock as weather conditions shifted abruptly from prolonged extreme heat to heavy rainfall. Local authorities will survey the affected area, report the damage, determine the exact cause, and provide technical guidance to help farmers mitigate further losses.
Similar conditions have also been reported in Ia Krel Commune. According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Tu, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ia Krel Commune, uneven early-season rainfall and nutrient deficiencies have caused physiological fruit drop. Some growers maintain multi-stem coffee trees but have failed to supply sufficient fertilizer to support fruit development. Authorities are advising farmers to fertilize only when soil moisture is adequate and to strengthen pest and disease control measures to minimize additional losses.
