HANOI, March 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Coffee prices are rocketing in all
markets of Vietnam, according to a report of official news agency
VNA on Thursday.
   In the coffee producing province of Dac Lac in the central
highlands, the price of coffee beans climbed to 10,000 Vietnamese
dong (VND) (66 U.S. cents) per kilogram on Wednesday, doubling the
figure before the Lunar New Year festival in mid-February.
   The prices of export coffee beans also increased to between 380
U.S. dollars and 400 U.S. dollars per ton in Sai Gon Harbor as
compared to 300 U.S. dollars prior to Lunar New Year festival.
   The surging prices were attributed to the increase of coffee
prices in the world market and the decrease of the country's
coffee output.
   Vietnam exported nearly 850,000 tons of coffee for 400 million
dollars in the 2000-2001 crop in comparison with 400,000 tons and
600 million dollars in the 1997-1998 crop.
   While local economists forecast that Vietnam's coffee prices
will increase only slightly this year because of the large
reserves among businesses and farmers, the prices will rise
quickly after 2003 due to sharp reduction in coffee output and
productivity, economists said.  Enditem