Vietnamese farmer Do Hong Yen suffered significant financial losses when her valuable peach blossom crop was flooded in Hanoi’s worst flooding in two decades.
More than 250,000 hectares of crops, including rice, vegetables, and fruit trees, were destroyed in typhoon-hit northern Vietnam.
Among the hardest hit in the north of Hanoi are peach blossom farmers, as the crop can be sold for up to $400 per tree before Tet, Vietnam’s lunar new year celebrations.
“I lost my entire season’s crop,” said Yen, estimating her loss to be over $45,000.
Other peach blossom farmers also reported devastating losses after floodwaters reached two meters high earlier in the week.
Yen described the typhoon and floods as causing not just economic losses but also costing human lives.
The peach blossom trees, known for their bright pink flowers, require relatively dry conditions and moderate watering, but were submerged for more than two days due to the flood, leading to a loss in this year’s bloom.
– Food prices soar –
Typhoon Yagi hit Vietnam’s east coast on Saturday, bringing heavy rain to Hanoi, uprooting 25,000 trees and forcing thousands of people to evacuate as floodwaters rose.
Once the water began to recede, the extent of the damage became evident in many areas of Hanoi.
Farmer Tran Thi Ly shared how her garden full of banana trees and vegetable crops for central Hanoi markets were destroyed, causing her a significant loss.
Agricultural ministry reported the death of 1.5 million chickens and ducks, and 2,500 pigs, buffalo, and cows due to the floods.
The loss of crops has led to a sharp increase in food prices in the city, with vegetables costing 50% to double the usual price.
Office worker Nguyen Thanh Hoa mentioned the shortage in supply and the need for suppliers to transport more vegetables from the south to meet demand.
“We are all facing the consequences of this disaster,” said Hoa.
tmh/aph/pdw/pbt
