Many areas in Indonesia suffer long droughts. (Source: Internet)
Hanoi (VNA) – El Nino is taking its toll on the agricultural sector, especially rice production, in Southeast Asian countries.
Thailand’s Irrigation Department has recently asked 22 provinces in the basin of Cho Phraya river to stop supplying water to off-season rice areas in order to minimise effects of the country’s most severe drought in many decades.
The new crop, which often begins in June or July, had to be delayed to August due to the severe shortage of water and the delay can cost farmers in the central region 1.8 billion USD.
In Indonesia, downpour rains came after long droughts caused by El Nino, submerging many areas in the country, sweeping away houses and causing heavy damage to agricultural production.
In the Philippines, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has just submitted to the President a plan to buy 1.5 million tonnes of rice in the first quarter of 2016 to ensure the supply and keep prices stable in the context of long drought.
In Vietnam, the Economic and Forecast news website under the Ministry of Planning and Investment said Vietnam’s rice export is expected to benefit from the fact that El Nino significantly reduced the rice output in Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines.
However, Le Anh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Climate Change Research Institute of the Can Tho University, said farmers in the Mekong Delta aඣlso suffered from droughts this year. The institute’s surveys showed☂ the region may lose from 30 to 40 percent of their rice output.-VNA
Impacts of the El Nino phenomenon do not shrivel Vietnam’s this year rice production which is estimated at about 45.2 million tonnes, 230,000 tonnes higher than the yearly target.
The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and the Ministry of Finance have submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister to ask for rice supply to drought-stricken localities.
Impacts from the El Nino phenomenon have caused heavy damage to around 20,000 hectares of rice in the southernmost province of Ca Mau, according to the provincial agricultural agency.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Many areas in Indonesia suffer long droughts. (Source: Internet)
