Vietnam’s Arabica coffee export saw strong growth in 2020

According to General Department of Vietnam Customs, in the first 11 months of 2020, Vietnam exported 58,700 tonnes of Arabica coffee worth US$135.26 million, an increase of 13.2 per cent in volume and 30 per cent in turnover compared with those of the same period of 2019.

The export price of Vietnamese Arabica coffee last year also increase considerably. The average price in the first 11 months of 2020 was US$2,305 per tonnes, 14.9 per cent higher than that of the same period in 2019. The prices of Vietnamese Arabica in its major importing markets like the US, Belgium, Japan, Ireland, Netherlands, Malaysia, Russia and Spain were all on the rise.

During that period, Arabica coffee exports from Vietnam to major markets like the US, Belgium, Japan, Ireland, Malaysia and the Netherlands saw impressive increases.

For examples, Vietnamese Arabica coffee exports to Ireland saw an increase of 991.7 per cent in volume, reaching 2,515 tonnes and an increase of 1,455.7 per cent in value, reaching US$6.8 million.

The exports to the Netherland saw an increase of 121 per cent in volume, reaching 1,636 tonnes and an increase of 213.1 per cent in value, reaching US$3.6 million.

The exports to Malaysia grew 95.1 per cent in volume, reaching 1,692 tonnes and 106 per cent in value, reaching US$3 million.

The United States was the biggest Arabica importer of Vietnam last year as it imported 19,000 tonnes worth US$47 million in the first 11 months of 2020, up 45.9 per cent in volume and 60.8 per cent in value.

Belgium was the second biggest Arabica coffee importer of Vietnam with shipments of 13,000 tonnes worth US$29 million, up 28.6 per cent in volume and 45.5 per cent in value.

Germany was ranked the third biggest importer with shipments of nearly 5,900 tonnes worth US$ 13 million, down 35.3 per cent in volume and 21.6 per cent in value.

Arabica coffee area accounts for only seven per cent of total coffee growing area in Vietnam. Arabica coffee is mainly grown in the Central Highland Province of Lam Dong, northern mountainous provinces of Son La and Dien Bien and two central provinces of Quang Tri and Nghe An.

In Lam Dong Province, Arabica coffee is grown in districts of Don Duong, di Linh, Lam Ha, Duc Trong and suburban area of Da Lat City which are all located at least 1,500 metres higher than seawater level and have cool weather all around the year. Particularly, Cau Dat in Da Lat has favourable conditions for coffee cultivation. With the cleverness of local coffee farmers, Cau Dat Arabica coffee is considered the best coffee in Vietnam.

In Khe Sanh of Huong Hoa District, Quang Tri Province, Arabica coffee is very famous for its taste and coffee cultivation area has been being expanded to further meet market demand.