The 4th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival 2013 opened in the so-called “capital of Vietnamese coffee” - Buon Ma Thuot city of the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak on March 9.

The four-day festival is held by the People’s Commitee of Dak Lak province along with ministries and agencies, Vietnam Coffee Association, Vietnam National Coffee Corporation (Vinacafe) and other Central Highlands provinces.

This year’s festival on the theme of “Buon Me Thuot coffee, integration and development” features various activities such as a Vietnamese coffee’s brands exhibition, a street festival, a coffee brewing contest and a contest to elect the Vietnamese coffee’s ambassador.

Attending the event, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan praised the coffee sector in general and Dak Lak province in particular for the recent achievements.

The country exports more than 1 million tonnes of coffee beans each year to nearly 100 countries and territories worldwide, ranking second among the world’s coffee exporters.

Last year, Vietnam surpassed Brazil to become the world’s largest coffee exporter with export revenue of 3.4 billion USD, a year on year increase of 36 percent.

Dak Lak province alone produces 400,000 tonnes of coffee beans with export turnover of about 700 million USD per year.

Coffee production has become a spearhead economic sector of the province and region, contributing greatly to improving local people’s lives.

Buon Ma Thuot city has been hosting the coffee festival every two years to introduce the image of Vietnamese coffee.-VNA