“THE ENTIRE AREA OF FRUIT TREES IN TIEN GIANG PROVINCE, OR ABOUT 80,000 HECTARES (310 SQUARE MILES), ARE AT RISK, WHILE 24,000 HECTARES OF RICE FIELDS WILL GIVE BELOW-NORMAL YIELDS”, SAID MR

2. “The entire area of fruit trees in Tien Giang province, or about 80,000 hectares (310 square

miles), are at risk, while 24,000 hectares of rice fields will give below-normal yields”, said Mr. Phap, who

added that water usage upstream on the Mekong by nations including China, Laos and Thailand increased

the dryness. The Mekong Delta, which produces more than half the country’s rice, has so far seen a total

of 33,000 hectares of rice fields damaged and nearly 70,000 households suffer from lack of water,

Vietnam National Television reported Friday, citing latest data from the country’s department of water

resources.