Vietnam to replant 107,000 hectares of coffee by 2025

Vietnam, the world's second-largest coffee producer, aims to replant or transplant about 107,000 hectares of coffee in the 2021-2025 period, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Under a project approved recently by the ministry (MARD), productivity is expected to rise to 3.5 tons of coffee beans per hectare, with an income 1.5-2 times higher than before.

The combined area in the five Central Highland provinces is projected at around 91,000 hectares, with Lam Dong making the largest share (36,000 hectares), followed by Dak Lak (24,000 hectares), Dak Nong (18,000 hectares), Gia Lai (11,000 hectares) and Kon Tum (5,000 hectares).

Other localities like Son La, Dien Bien, Quang Tri, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau will together contribute 16,000 hectares.

Attention will be paid to stepping up scientific and technological application, as well as technological transfer, while building standardised irrigation systems.

Support policies will also be rolled out, aiming to reduce losses, encourage cooperation and connectivity in production and consumption, and promote organic agriculture.

Speaking at a recent conference held in Buon Me Thuot town, the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, MARD Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh urged businesses, industry associations and international organisations to coordinate with the ministry’s relevant agencies and localities to develop technical manuals and organise training classes on coffee replanting to directly support people during the scheme.

He stressed that Tay Nguyen Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute need to continue research and testing to produce new coffee varieties serving the replanting demand across provinces, paying attention to producing coffee and tea varieties for both the central and northwestern regions.

Coffee is one of Vietnam's main industrial crops. The country's coffee yield is over three times higher than the world's, with a production of 2.8 tons per hectare.

Vietnam is the second-largest producer of coffee in the world, behind Brazil. In 2021, its coffee exports reached 1.52 million tons, worth of about $3 billion, down 2.7% in volume, but up 9.4% in value year-on-year.