Denmark to support Quang Tri province in deforestation-free coffee production

Catimor Arabica coffee has been grown in Quang Tri province since 1994 before quickly becoming the province's key crop.

Quang Tri province had approximately 3,900 hectares of coffee production area by the end of 2022, with Huong Hoa district housing the majority of this land. The average yield was 11.5 quintals per hectare, and the green coffee output was nearly 4.5 thousand tons. Coffee trees have created employment opportunities and stable livelihoods for more than 8,000 local households. 

Huong Hoa Arabica coffee, widely known for its delicious taste, has been granted the collective label of "Khe Sanh". Additionally, this coffee has four 4-star OCOP products, and joined the Vietnamese as well as global coffee value chain. Most notably, ten domestic and foreign businesse have discussed cooperation with cooperatives in Huong Hoa; four businesses have promoted the signing of cooperation contracts for production and consumption of coffee products; one joint contract have been sighed for Arabica coffee processing.

Thirty-four coffee purchasing, preliminary processing and processing businesses have grown alongside with the development of local coffee production. However, only 10% of the output is preliminarily processed and sold by businesses and cooperatives.

Small volumes of coffee from cooperatives and production facilities have recently entered high-end markets such as Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Australia.

According to Ms. Nguyen Hong Phuong, Deputy Director of Quang Tri province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the coffee tree plays an important role in the socio-economic development strategy in western Quang Tri. It contributes to hunger eradication and poverty reduction, especially for the ethnic minorities.

However, coffee production in the province is still limited by many factors, including: an unstable consumer market; limited application of technological advances; ​​impacts of old coffee trees on the productivity, output and quality of coffee; reduced competitiveness on the market.

On the other hand, the value chain lacks a strong linkage between production, trading, processing, preservation and consumption of products. Furthermore, various types of coffee production and business organizations are still inadequate.

In order to promote the coffee industry, Quang Tri province's agricultural sector has advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue policies that support production in combination with consumption.

Quang Tri province has actively cooperated with different departments and agencies to attract investment in coffee products.

Quang Tri aims to maintain and stabilize at least 5,000 hectares of coffee production area; ensure at least 1,000 hectares of coffee to be replanted by 2026, including 50 hectares of organic coffee; develop 60 hectares of specialty coffee and tea in Huong Phung commune, Huong Hoa district. Additionally, Quang Tri province is determined to replace all old coffee trees with high quality tea varieties by 2030, with a focus on technical standards.

“The conference is an opportunity for the agricultural sector and local governments to listen to the feedback from coffee producers, improve the investment environment, and establish support policies that will enable sustainable consumption of coffee products, helping to boost future income for coffee producers.

The Danish government agreed to support Quang Tri province with 1.2 million USD to implement a deforestation-free coffee production project. This is an excellent opportunity for Quang Tri to develop agro-forestry economy”, shared Ms. Nguyen Hong Phuong.

The conference featured a signing ceremony for the cooperation agreement to build material areas between two cooperatives with ten production groups, and five association contracts between rice consumption units, green coffee producers and coffee production cooperatives. The total contracted area was ​​250 hectares, with an average annual output of 300 tons of parchment coffee and 5 tons of green coffee. The total contract value is nearly 20 billion VND.

On the sidelines of the conference, participants experienced and enjoyed Khe Sanh Arabica specialty coffee products from 20 different exhibition booths.

Khe Sanh coffee has earned its position as the most delicious  coffee brand in Vietnam. The coffee reached international markets by winning the "Vietnamese specialty coffee products" in 2021 organized by Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Association in Dak Lak province. Subsequently, Khe Sanh coffee won the Silver Prize in the "Coffees Roasted at the Origin" competition for small producers and processors organized by AVPA (The Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products) in Paris, France.