Maintaining the position of Vietnamese Robusta coffee

Mr. Trinh Duc Minh - Chairman of Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Association

♦ Sir, the 2025 - 2026 crop year is about to enter the harvest season. What do you think about the advantages and difficulties in this new crop year?

Vietnam has about 720,000 hectares of coffee, of which Dak Lak accounts for about 30% of the area. In the 2025 - 2026 crop year, Dak Lak's output is forecast to remain stable (or increase slightly) compared to the previous crop year. The reason is that the high coffee prices over the past 2 years have strongly encouraged farmers to increase investment in garden care, apply sustainable production processes, and introduce new varieties to replant gardens...

However, coffee production is still negatively affected by climate change, with storms likely to occur during peak harvest months (November and December 2025). This will be a major challenge for harvesting, processing and drying.

In particular, the problem of drying is particularly difficult for small-scale producers. The application of temporary drying solutions such as "bed drying" with coal and firewood can affect the quality of coffee beans (causing odors). For the specialty coffee segment, units that have invested properly (such as greenhouses and drying houses) can partially overcome this problem, but new units that still depend on traditional sun drying will encounter many obstacles. Therefore, coffee growing areas in Dak Lak need to research suitable solutions to ensure the quality of coffee beans if they have to harvest during storms.

♦ In fact, coffee prices are constantly at high levels, opening up great opportunities for growers and export businesses. In your opinion, what is the direction for Dak Lak to take advantage of this advantage in the new crop year?

- The increase in Robusta coffee prices is a positive signal, but the market always has potential risks. We recommend that farmers should not chase short-term prices but focus on improving quality (not picking green fruit; harvesting ripe fruit at 90% or more...), trace the origin and comply with sustainability standards. Currently, the Association is promoting businesses to strengthen coordination with farmers and cooperatives to build raw material areas that meet the EUDR regulations of the European Union. At the same time, it supports cooperatives to link production with large roasters to create stable output for products. The goal is to shift from selling raw to selling value - that is, selling products with brands, certifications and the unique story of the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Geographical Indication land.

♦ In the period 2025 - 2030, the global and Vietnamese coffee industry is forecast to continue to be affected by climate change and strict environmental requirements (such as EUDR regulations). In your opinion, what values will Dak Lak aim for to affirm the brand of Buon Ma Thuot Coffee?

- Although the coffee industry is facing many challenges, the trend of increasing global coffee consumption, the development of farming and processing technology, as well as the need for traceability and certified products... are also bringing many opportunities to the domestic coffee industry. I think that the "capital" of Dak Lak coffee needs to continue to promote the transition to green production, regeneration, deep processing and digital trade to maintain competitiveness and effectively adapt to changes in policy, market and climate.

In particular, persistently pursuing the strategy of enhancing the reputation of the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Geographical Indication, contributing to improving the quality and reputation of Vietnamese coffee through the Vietnam Specialty Coffee Competition, gradually forming and developing the specialty coffee market, creating added value for Vietnamese coffee beans, motivating coffee growers to pay attention to improving quality.

♦ Thank you!

(perform)

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/phong-su-ky-su/202511/giu-vung-vi-the-ca-phe-robusta-viet-nam-3fe0079/