Viet Bac Coffee increases purchasing capacity, proactively protects the environment

Viet Bac plans to expand the factory and upgrade the environmental treatment system to meet the increasing purchasing output of the Muong Ang coffee region.

This year's coffee crop in Muong Ang is at its peak. On the roads from Bung Lao commune to the center of Muong Ang commune, tractors and small trucks carry fresh coffee beans one after another. The sound of the engines mixed with the voices of people calling each other to weigh their goods creates a typical atmosphere of a bumper harvest season. At the Viet Bac coffee factory, the drying yard and the raw material receiving area are always operating at full capacity. The influx of agricultural products has increased so much that many small purchasing establishments in the area are unable to cope.

Unlike the situation of "overwhelming goods" at some collection points, Viet Bac Coffee Import Export Company Limited proactively planned early, arranging staff on duty 24/24 during peak days. The company is also expanding the factory to increase processing capacity and reduce pressure during the harvest season. At the same time, the wastewater, coffee grounds and exhaust gas treatment system has been upgraded to new environmental standards, ensuring that production does not affect neighboring residential areas.

Mr. Vuong Ba Trung, Deputy Director of Viet Bac Coffee Import Export Company Limited, checks the quality of coffee before packaging the finished product. Photo: Hoang Chau.

Mr. Vuong Ba Trung, Deputy Director of Viet Bac Coffee Import-Export Company Limited, said that compliance with environmental regulations is considered a “mandatory condition” by the company. “Every year we fully monitor wastewater. If we expand capacity, the collection pond, settling tank, and treatment system must also be expanded. The company's viewpoint is that the input and output must be clean before they are allowed to discharge,” - Mr. Trung emphasized.

This year, the company buys fresh coffee at 26,000 VND/kg - a price that people in Muong Ang and Bung Lao communes consider to be much more "affordable" than previous low-price crops. Up to now, the company has received more than 5,000 tons of fresh coffee, accounting for nearly half of the total output in the region. The company clearly lists and notifies coffee-growing communes in the area in advance. "Good coffee has a high price, bad coffee has a low price, quality criteria are public right at the weighing point. The company cannot control some private agents who collect outside, but the direct purchase at the factory is always transparent."

However, the quality of coffee is not really uniform, the main reason is the lack of harvesting labor. This year, there are few workers, the cost of hiring increased by 4,000-5,000 VND/kg. Many households had to pick in a hurry, the green and ripe fruits were mixed together, causing the quality to decrease. However, the overall output still increased by about 4% compared to last year, a year of crop failure due to drought. The average yield is about 15 tons/ha, enough to bring a good income to many coffee growing households.

Workers at the Viet Bac coffee factory collect and process coffee at the raw material receiving area during peak harvest days in Muong Ang. Photo: Hoang Chau.

Viet Bac Coffee Factory currently has an area of ​​2.6 hectares, with the initial design of only processing 100-150 tons/day and night. But in reality, to meet the needs of the raw material area, the enterprise must operate up to 250-300 tons/day and night, especially when the coffee is ripe. "On peak days, coffee trucks line up from the gate to the street. We still try to process everything, but in the long term, we must definitely expand," Mr. Trung added.

Viet Bac Coffee Import Export Company Limited has submitted a request for an additional 1.8 hectares of adjacent land to arrange a drying area, warehouse and rearrange the production area. If Muong Ang commune still has suitable land, the company plans to continue expanding to purchase more output from replanting projects and opening new coffee areas in Dien Bien province.

The settling pond and wastewater treatment system of Viet Bac coffee factory has been upgraded to ensure environmental requirements. Photo: Hoang Chau.

According to Mr. Trung, the expansion goal is not to pursue output at all costs, but to aim for stable operation, limit congestion and reduce environmental pressure. “If the factory is large enough and has enough capacity, the treatment of wastewater, coffee grounds and exhaust gas will be systematic. Treatment technology will also be invested synchronously as soon as it expands,” - Mr. Trung said.

The fact that Viet Bac Coffee Import Export Company Limited proactively plans long-term, not “running the crop” style, helps Muong Ang coffee growers feel more secure about output. In the context of a sharp increase in replanting area and forecasted continued increase in output, the synchronous upgrade of the factory will contribute to stabilizing the purchasing - processing chain, reducing risks for farmers and creating a foundation for Muong Ang to move towards higher quality coffee seasons in the coming years.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/ca-phe-viet-bac-nang-cong-suat-thu-mua-chu-dong-moi-truong-d785878.html