Building a value chain for high-quality Robusta coffee

On June 14, the International Center for Agroforestry (ICRAF), in collaboration with the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) and Simexco DakLak Co., Ltd., organized a seminar on the market prospects for coffee.

The event was part of an additional component of the V-SCOPE project sponsored by ACIAR, titled "Improving livelihoods of small-scale producers in the Central Highlands through a pilot intervention model aimed at building a high-quality Robusta coffee value chain".

The seminar attracted around 40 domestic and international experts who exchanged experiences and solutions to adapt to changes in the global coffee market. Enhancing competitiveness and sustainability through quality improvement, exploring new directions in market development and growth, particularly in discovering the potential of speciality Robusta coffee.

During the seminar, Dr Manuel Díaz, a coffee expert, shared his views and knowledge on the global coffee market in the 21st century, including global market dynamics, market analysis, positioning Vietnam in the global coffee market, competitive strategies, market segments, understanding competitive rivals, understanding consumer preferences, and transitioning to high-quality/speciality coffee.

With over 20 years of experience in the coffee industry, Dr Manuel Díaz also highlighted suitable pathways for Vietnam to cultivate speciality coffee and based on this, to support broader-scale quality transformations within the sector. Vietnam needs to promote the business of speciality coffee by providing examples of best practices and evaluating its position as the world's second-largest exporter of Robusta coffee in the global coffee market, along with strategies aimed at enhancing competitiveness.

The seminar also listened to insights from Simexco DakLak on high-quality coffee and their export market orientation, as well as experiences from Vinh Hiep Co., Ltd., regarding domestic market trends.

During the seminar, discussions between experts and guests explored the market's response to the shift towards high-quality coffee, identifying pathways for speciality coffee, recognizing opportunities, leveraging points, and addressing challenges in the development of high-quality coffee.

Alongside this seminar, the V-SCOPE Project also organized an advanced sensory evaluation and coffee tasting training session from June 10-11, 2024, and an advanced roasting and grinding training session from June 15-18, 2024, in Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province. These sessions were guided by Dr. Manuel Díaz, an expert in coffee processing, roasting, and grinding.