| Vietnamese name | Tay Nguyen |
|---|---|
| Area | about 54,500 km² |
| Population | about 6 million |
| Climate | Tropical highland climate. Altitude 600–1,500 m. The dry season (November to April) and rainy season (May to October) are distinct. |
Overview
The Central Highlands (Tay Nguyen) is Vietnam's coffee belt and the core producing area of Vietnam, the world's second-largest coffee producer. Made up of five provinces (Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Gia Lai, Dak Nong, Kon Tum), a red basalt plateau at an altitude of 600 to 1,500 m spreads across it. This fertile basalt soil (dat do bazan) is extremely well suited to growing coffee and pepper.
From the 1990s onward, large-scale plantations of coffee, pepper, rubber, and cashew nuts expanded rapidly, making it the 'golden zone' of Vietnamese agriculture. On the other hand, environmental problems such as deforestation and the depletion of water resources have also become serious, making the shift to sustainable agriculture an urgent need.
Many ethnic minorities live here, including the Bahnar, Jarai, and Ede peoples, and the gong culture is registered as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.
Features of agriculture
Agriculture in the Central Highlands is concentrated in 'five major crops': coffee (about 650,000 ha), pepper (about 150,000 ha), rubber (about 250,000 ha), cashew nuts (about 100,000 ha), and cacao. Coffee in particular accounts for about 90% of Vietnam's total output from this region, with Robusta the mainstay.
Recent changes include (1) improving coffee quality (going specialty), (2) switching to new crops such as macadamia nuts and avocado, and (3) promoting organic agriculture and agroforestry. In Dak Lak and Lam Dong provinces, coffee-quality-improvement projects supported by Japan's JICA are also being carried out.
Main agricultural products
Coffee (mainly Robusta, about 650,000 ha), pepper (about 150,000 ha), rubber (about 250,000 ha), cashew nuts (about 100,000 ha), cacao, avocado, macadamia nuts, durian, flowers (Da Lat), vegetables (Da Lat highland vegetables)
Exports and logistics
The agricultural products of the Central Highlands are exported mainly from the ports of Ho Chi Minh City (Cat Lai Port, Cai Mep Port). The largest export destinations for coffee are Germany, Italy, and Japan, while the main markets for pepper are the United States, the EU, and India. In recent years, the use of Da Nang Port and Quy Nhon Port is also increasing, and the diversification of logistics routes is advancing.
Challenges and outlook
The depletion of groundwater and climate change are the greatest threats. Irrigation water for coffee plantations is running short, and water shortages in the dry season are worsening. Priority issues include sustainable water management, agroforestry using shade trees, and the replanting of old trees (about 30% are over 20 years old). The economic structure, easily swayed by international coffee-price fluctuations, also needs diversification.
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