Assessing impacts on rice production and quantifying economic cost losses with PM2.5–based damage – A case of the Long Xuyen Quadrangle, Vietnam Mekong Delta

Abstract

Control measures of PM2.5 pollution mitigation are identified as an important strategy for food security. This is remarkably crucial with Long Xuyen Quadrangle (LXQ), which exports more than 50% of Vietnams rice. PM2.5 pollution impacts on rice production need to be assessed to determine the extent of effects on economic losses. The given objectives of this study are to build a research framework that combines models and data to quantify the economic damage to rice seasons affected by PM2.5 pollution, taking LXQ as a research case study. The models used include quantitative models of output loss due to loss of productivity, productivity function, and quantification of economic loss model to assess economic loss due to loss of productivity caused by PM2.5, based on damage to rice plants. The data used included: (i) 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration data in the environment to represent the process of estimating negative impacts on rice yield, (ii) formal characteristics of rice crops, (iii) rice area/total agricultural land area, (iv) rice production level achieved by each crop, and (v) minimum support prices for rice. The total loss of rice yield in the LXQ in 2018 was estimated at 15,729 tons/ha. The results associated with calculated damage levels into economic values showed that the total losses due to the reduction of rice production in 2018 in LXQ were at about 2,728 billion VND, which was equivalent to approximately 121 million USD, or 1.47% of the total GRDP of LXQ in 2018. The obtained results will be the basis for further development, contributing to the building of a dataset for the management of the air environment as well as effective agricultural farming solutions for the LXQ area.