Successful winter-spring crop season in South Central Coast, Central Highlands

Higher yields and output across crops

On May 12, in Quang Ngai, the Plant Production and Protection Department (PPPD-Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) in coordination with the Quang Ngai Department of Agriculture and Environment, held a conference to review crop production during the 2025 - 2026 winter-spring season and to roll out plans for the 2026 summer-autumn and main crop seasons in the South Central Coast and Central Highlands regions.

According to PPPD, the 2025-2026 winter-spring crop season was carried out amid the aftermath of a severe natural disaster that had heavily affected irrigation infrastructure and farmlands across the South Central Coast and Central Highlands regions. Seed supplies for production were also disrupted, while sowing schedules were delayed.

However, thanks to the efforts of farmers and local authorities, agricultural production in the region still achieved relatively positive results. Localities proactively adjusted cropping calendars and seed structures, while stepping up the application of technical advances, mechanization, water-saving irrigation, integrated pest management (IPM/IPHM), and cost-reduction measures.

As a result, the total rice cultivation area across the region exceeded 332,000 hectares, up 1,720 hectares compared to the same period last year. Average yield reached more than 6.9 tonnes per hectare, an increase of 0.12 tonnes per hectare, while total output was estimated at nearly 2.3 million tonnes, up by more than 51,000 tonnes.

Of the total, the South Central Coast region cultivated nearly 126,000 hectares of rice, producing close to 798,000 tonnes, while the Central Highlands continued to serve as a key rice-producing area with more than 206,000 hectares and an output of nearly 1.5 million tonnes.

In addition to rice, several other crops also posted positive results. Maize cultivation area increased by more than 8%, with output reaching nearly 219,000 tonnes. Sugarcane and tobacco production rose sharply thanks to favorable weather conditions and more stable prices.

For fruit crops, total regional output in the first four months of 2026 reached around 638,000 tonnes. Dragon fruit remained the leading fruit crop with more than 290,000 tonnes, followed by bananas, passion fruit, and durian.

The restructuring of crop patterns on rice-growing land has continued to be promoted by many localities. Across the region, nearly 5,000 hectares of rice land have been converted to maize, vegetables, fruit trees, industrial crops, and aquaculture. According to local authorities, many of these models have generated economic returns two to three times higher than traditional rice cultivation.

However, agricultural production still faces numerous challenges, including persistently high prices of agricultural inputs, unstable market linkages, and fragmented production practices. In addition, following the restructuring of the administrative apparatus, many localities are facing a shortage of specialized staff in crop production and plant protection at the grassroots level.

At the conference, local authorities, technical agencies, businesses, and international organizations focused discussions on solutions to cope with drought and water shortages; pest and disease prevention and control; development of low-emission agricultural production; market-oriented production organization; implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR); improving the management efficiency of planting area codes; and digital transformation in crop production and plant protection.

Proactively responding to drought and market fluctuations 

Entering the 2026 summer-autumn and main crop seasons, delegates agreed that crop production in the South Central Coast and Central Highlands regions will continue to face multiple challenges, particularly those arising from climate change, risks of water shortages for production, and market volatility.

In response to these challenges, localities have developed flexible production plans adapted to weather conditions. For rice cultivation, the entire region is expected to plant around 450,000 hectares during the 2026 summer-autumn and main crop seasons, with projected output exceeding 2.7 million tonnes. The agriculture and environment sector has advised localities to arrange cropping schedules appropriately, use short-duration and drought-tolerant rice varieties, and organize concentrated sowing in order to avoid drought and late-season floods.

In addition to rice, the region’s total planned area for annual crops is estimated at more than 691,000 hectares, focusing on key crops such as maize, cassava, vegetables, beans, peanuts, and sugarcane.

For fruit trees, the region is expected to maintain approximately 200,000 hectares, with total output projected at more than 2.7 million tonnes. Several crops, including durian, passion fruit, and bananas, are set to continue expanding to meet growing domestic and export market demand.

According to DPPP Deputy Director General Nguyen Quoc Manh amid increasingly complex climate change impacts and rising risks of El Niño, drought, and water shortages for agricultural production, local agricultural sectors need to shift strongly toward a proactive adaptation approach, with greater emphasis on quality, efficiency, and sustainable development.

The leadership of DPPP also urged localities to flexibly adjust cropping calendars and crop structures in line with water availability and weather developments, while accelerating the application of water-saving cultivation practices, low-emission farming solutions, increased use of certified seeds, mechanization, and post-harvest loss reduction measures.

In addition, greater attention should be paid to improving forecasting, monitoring, and control of pests and diseases, particularly in large-scale commodity production areas for durian, coffee, pepper, cassava, and sugarcane. Alongside promoting the use of biological agricultural inputs to reduce production costs, localities should also focus on strengthening value chain-based production linkages, tightening the management of planting area codes and packaging facilities, and enhancing traceability systems to meet increasingly stringent export market requirements.