Vietnam Coffee Production Under Threat Due to Drought

Vietnam, the world's second-largest coffee producer, is facing shortages after a monthslong drought.

Transcript

00:00Water, an ever more precious resource for coffee farmers in central Vietnam.

00:06After Brazil, they're the world's largest producer, but they've been facing low yields

00:10due to a months-long drought.

00:13Farmers say production is down by almost half compared to last year, driving up the beans'

00:17prices.

00:18The price has gone up, and farmers are happy, but not as much as the price of the beans.

00:27Most of the coffee beans produced here are Robusta, usually considered an inferior variety

00:32to Arabica.

00:34But it's the variety mass-consumed around the world in espressos and instant coffees.

00:39Farmers here are now trying to find new ways to keep their coffee plants growing, even

00:43as the climate changes.

01:08And after the drought came the rains, and farmers anticipate more extreme weather ahead

01:12of the harvest season in October.

01:15But they're determined to keep their beans at the top of the market, supporting their

01:19local economy and providing to coffee lovers around the world.

01:23Chris Ma and Tiffany Wong for Taiwan Plus.