Thousands of hectares of industrial crops and aquaculture farms are at risk of falling output, and even lost crops, due to drought and salt contamination hitting various regions of Vietnam.

According to the Cultivation Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, since the end of January, it has rarely rained in the coastal areas of the south central provinces and the Central Highlands.

The water levels of regional rivers are steadily declining, leading to extreme droughts in numerous agricultural areas, with the most affected provinces being Gia Lai, Dac Nong and Quang Nam.

Meanwhile, some southern provinces, especially Ben Tre, Tien Giang and Bac Lieu are affected by salt contamination, causing a shortage of freshwater and seriously affecting cultivation, husbandry and daily life.

The hydro-meteorologic agency announced that the droughts will last longer as the rainy season will come one month later than usual and with lower-than-average rainfall.

Reservoirs across the country have been at about 50% capacity, particularly Dong Mo lake in Hanoi, which has a water level of only 14%.

The agricultural sector has urged farmers to raise breeds of animals and strains of plants that can live through long-lasting droughts and asked localities to manage their water resources carefully.