On March 15, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Đắk Nông Province reported that over the past four months many areas have seen no rainfall and have endured extreme heat, leading to widespread drought.
The intense dry conditions have also drained water sources used for irrigating thousands of hectares of coffee. Currently, an estimated 3,000–5,000 hectares of coffee in the Đắk Mil and Cư Giút districts lack irrigation water, threatening up to 50% losses in yield and damage to coffee trees.
Provincial agricultural officials warn that late March through early April marks the peak of the Central Highlands dry season, when the drought is expected to become even more severe.