High successes expected in the coming coffee harvest

From now until the end of the year, coffee - the main agricultural product of Gia Lai Province is entering the harvest. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic impact, coffee production and consumption did not face many difficulties. People are even more excited since coffee prices in the market have increased, while the consumption market is stable.

No worry about the coffee consumption market

In the past few days, members of the agricultural and tourism production - trade - service cooperative Ia Mo Nong (Chu Pah District) are very happy and excited about an increase in the price of green coffee which fluctuates around VND42,000/kg. If this price is maintained until the harvest completion, one hectare of coffee will help members earn more than VND100 million after minus all expenses.

As a unit developing in the model of linking production and consumption, Ia Mo Nong Cooperative currently has about 369 members, equivalent to 369 hectares of coffee. In addition, the cooperative also supports members outside the model with over 100ha.

Mr. Le Van Thanh, Director of Ia Mo Nong Cooperative, said that this year's crop, the coffee yield is estimated at about 4 tons of kernels/ha. Thus, with a total area of ​​nearly 500ha, the output is estimated at nearly 2,000 tons.

“Every year, the cooperative signs a contract with Vinh Hiep Co., Ltd. to consume about 1,000 tons of kernels and 800 tons of fresh coffee. The cooperative is focusing on production to ensure product quality," said Thanh.

Mr. Trinh Khac Duong, director of Dak Krong Agricultural and Service Cooperative (Dak Doa district) was also excited about the coffee price increase. He said the cooperative currently has 185 members working on an area of ​​320ha. This year, the price of coffee increases, hovering around VND40,000/kg, while the productivity is also about 4tons of kernels/ha. Thus, the total output of coffee after harvesting is estimated to reach about 1,300 tons of kernels.

Currently, the cooperative is also linking with Vinh Hiep Co., Ltd. in consuming coffee products.

La Grai District has a large coffee-growing area of over 17,000 hectares. Mr. Phan Dinh Tham, Head of the district’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said this crop will have a good harvest and price is good since the average yield is estimated at 3.4 tons/ha, 1-2 tons higher than the previous yearly crop. “With the current price of over VND40,000/kg, coffee growers will make a profit of VND60-70 million/ha,” Tham said.

Tham also said about the consumption market that the district is coordinating with large export enterprises such as Son Huyen Phat and Vinh Hiep to support production and consumption for growers.

Export expected overfulfilling the plan

As one of the leading coffee exporters in the country, Vinh Hiep Co., Ltd currently has a coffee-growing area of ​​over 300ha. The company is also cooperating with many cooperatives and farmers' organizations to boost production following the 4C sustainable process. Although this year was greatly affected by the pandemic, the company's coffee consumption market is still very good.

Mr. Thai Nhu Hiep, chairman of the company’s board of members said this year, the company has so far exported more than 100,000 tons of coffee to Europe under the EVFTA agreement. Particularly in the last months of the year, the export condition is still very favorable with coffee products ensuring a stable output of about 10 thousand tons.

“There is no difficulty in the consumption market, but what we are most concerned about is when farmers enter the harvest, we cannot find workers to collect coffee due to the impact of the Covid-19. In addition, with the coffee price increase, the situation of stealing coffee also takes place, making the quality not guaranteed, thereby affecting exports," said Hiep.

Assessing the export market at the end of the year, Mr. Pham Van Binh, Director of Gia Lai Department of Industry and Trade, said although the export market has fluctuated a bit due to the pandemic and high transportation cost, businesses have been proactive to adapt with. Especially, after Vinh Hiep Company had sponsored coffee for the APEC meeting in 2017 as well as through the EVFTA agreement, Gia Lai's coffee exports have become more and more stabilized.

Mr. Pham Van Binh, Director of Gia Lai Department of Industry and Trade said: "Gia Lai will reach about US$610 million as scheluded in the agricultural products export plan 2021. Up to now, agricultural export has reached more than $500 million. The remaining $100 million in the last months of the year can be fully achieved. Especially, at this time, coffee - the main agricultural product is about to enter the harvest with high expectations from reputable export enterprises such as Vinh Hiep Co., Ltd., Hoa Trang Import-Export Co., Ltd...."