Despite lower yields, high pepper prices bring strong profits for Ba Ria – Vung Tau farmers as the 2025 harvest season gets underway.
Weather Challenges Cut Pepper Yields
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In Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, farmers are entering the 2025 pepper harvest season with mixed feelings. Although weather conditions have lowered yields, high pepper prices are ensuring good profits.
At Ap 1, Bau Lam Commune, Xuyen Moc District, farmer Tran Du and his team of workers are spreading nets under his 2.2-hectare pepper garden. Normally, by mid-February last year, his family had already completed the peak harvest. This year, however, harvest started nearly one month later.
During flowering, prolonged heat and drought caused blossoms to drop, resulting in poor fruit setting. Despite careful fertilization and plant care, pepper berries ripened late, delaying the harvest.
Tran Du estimates his family’s yield will drop by around 50%, producing only about 5 tons. Nearby, Le A’s 4-sao (0.4 ha) pepper field will likely yield only 2.5 tons, also a 50% reduction compared with last year.
Losses Across the Province
In Chau Duc District, the impact of unfavorable weather is evident. Ho Van Thu, whose family cultivates 1.5 hectares of pepper in Ap Loc Hoa, Binh Gia Commune, has just started harvesting. From early this week, they have collected 500 kg, and total production is expected to reach 3.5 tons, nearly half the usual yield.
According to Nguyen Hanh, Chairman of the Binh Gia Farmers’ Association, the pepper-growing area is shrinking, now down to about 50 hectares. The 2025 crop is both late and smaller, with yields about 50% lower than average due to adverse weather.
“Pepper farming depends heavily on the weather,” Nguyen Hanh explained. “We will continue to train farmers in proper care techniques, focusing on quality and building organic pepper farming areas for sustainable development, rather than expanding acreage.”
High Pepper Prices Keep Farmers Profitable
On February 16, 2025, market surveys showed pepper prices at 160,000 VND/kg, down about 2,000 VND from the previous day. Despite the slight dip, prices have climbed around 60,000 VND/kg since mid-2024, the highest in many years.
These high prices have boosted farmer confidence.
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Ho Van Thu, in Binh Gia Commune, shared that although yields are low, profits remain solid. With an expected harvest of 3.5 tons, after expenses his family will earn about 100 million VND in profit.
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Tran Du, in Bau Lam Commune, calculates that with about 5 tons from 2.2 hectares, selling at 160,000 VND/kg, his family will net around 200 million VND after costs.
2025 Provincial Outlook
For the 2025 season, Ba Ria – Vung Tau has over 10,370 hectares of pepper, with nearly 10,000 hectares ready for harvest, and an estimated total output of more than 25,000 tons.
Average yields have dropped to about 2 tons per hectare, down 50% compared with previous years. Nevertheless, with pepper prices remaining high, farmers can still achieve profits of 200–300 million VND per hectare after expenses.