Hundreds of hectares of coffee and other crops in Lâm Đồng Province are suffering severe losses after farmers unknowingly applied fake and low-quality fertilizers. The result: wilted branches, burned leaves, and massive cherry drop, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of farming households.
Early Signs of Trouble
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Farmers Detect Abnormal Symptoms
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Within 10 days of applying NPK fertilizer supplied by Dong Trung International JSC, farmer Bùi Thái Vệ (Gia Hiệp commune, Di Linh district) saw branches droop, leaves burn, and young cherries fall.
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“Luckily I used only 700 kg on 1 ha,” he said. “If I had used all four tons across my 4 ha, the crop would be ruined.”
Other growers—Nguyen Van Tuyet and Hoang Thi Loan—reported similar damage: over half of their coffee cherries fell, and young trees died, making the season’s crop a total loss.
Laboratory Findings: Fertilizer Far Below Standard
Tests by the Lâm Đồng Center for Science & Technology Application revealed:
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Actual N–P–K content: only 3.4 – 5.2 – 2.6 versus the 16 – 16 – 8 label.
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pH of 9.5% and 3.7% sodium chloride, levels capable of long-term soil and plant damage.
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The fertilizer was not listed among the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s approved products (as of Dec 2007).
Wide Impact Across Districts
Hundreds of Households Affected
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240 households used this Dong Trung fertilizer on over 100 ha of coffee.
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60 ethnic minority families, already economically vulnerable, face severe income loss.
Other Suspected Brands
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Sao Mai (Duc Loi Co., Ltd.): Tested at 7.2 – 4.5 – 3.9 instead of the promised 16 – 16 – 8; company promised partial refunds but has not delivered.
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MOSAIC (China, imported by Vina Coffee Trading): Caused scorched leaves, curled shoots, and fruit drop on multiple farms.
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Thien Phuc Fertilizer Co. (Binh Duong): Farmers reported almost no plant growth and visible insoluble impurities.
Investigation and Legal Action
Tracing the Source
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Authorities suspect the fake NPK came from a Dong Trung branch in Ninh Thuan, where police recently seized dozens of tons of adulterated fertilizer.
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The branch allegedly mixed kaolin, lime powder, and industrial salt with NPK and repackaged it under the Dong Trung label, producing an estimated 270 tons sold mainly in Lâm Đồng.
Official Response
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The Di Linh District People’s Committee repeatedly summoned Pham Quang Trung, Dong Trung’s Managing Director, who has failed to cooperate.
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Police and relevant agencies are investigating both the company and Nguyen Van Ky, who allegedly forged a contract to purchase the fertilizer.
Local authorities have warned farmers to avoid suspiciously cheap fertilizers and have ordered the prosecution of producers and distributors of counterfeit products.
Economic and Environmental Damage
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Farmers face billions of đồng in crop losses, as young coffee cherries and branches die off.
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Soil contamination from excessive sodium chloride and high pH may impair future crops.
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Trust in fertilizer suppliers has been badly shaken, highlighting the urgent need for tighter regulation and quality control.
The fake fertilizer scandal in Lâm Đồng Province has exposed dangerous gaps in fertilizer quality control and threatens the coffee sector’s long-term sustainability. Swift legal action, stronger market oversight, and farmer education on fertilizer sourcing are critical to protecting both farmers’ livelihoods and Vietnam’s reputation as a leading coffee exporter.