Dak Lak (VNA) – The International Trade Conference “Connecting and Elevating Vietnamese Coffee” was held in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak on March 11 as part of the 9th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival, seeking ways to improve the value and brand of Vietnamese coffee.
Over 800 delegates attended the event, including government officials, diplomats, and business representatives.
In his opening remarks, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Tuan Ha highlighted the locality’s status as “Vietnam’s Coffee Capital,” which has made efforts to develop the local specialty to a renowned brand in the region and the world.
In the 2023-2024 season, Vietnam exported 1.47 million tonnes of coffee worth 5.42 billion USD, an 11.3% decrease in volume but a 33% increase in value as compared to the previous crop. Dak Lak alone shipped abroad over 264,400 tonnes valued at 915.8 million USD, accounting for 17.9% of the country's total volume.
He said that Vietnamese coffee still predominantly occupies the lower market segment, with exports mainly consisting of raw materials while production remaining small-scale and fragmented. Inconsistent quality and limitation in intensive-processing technologies also pose challenges for exporters to satisfy major markets’ stringent requirements, he said.
Director General of the Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade Vu Ba Phu laid stress on the conference’s role in helping the industry adapt to the circular economy, the experience economy, climate change, market fluctuations, consumer trends, and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
He expressed his hope that the conference would contribute to promoting trade, investment, and tourism linkages between regional localities and cities and provinces nationwide and across the globe.
The conference featured presentations on global coffee market trends by Executive Director of the International Coffee Organisation Vanusia Nogueira and on plans for EUDR compliance by Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Quoc Manh.
The event included seminars in a variety of areas, including standards and regulations for coffee growing areas, the role of businesses in elevating Vietnamese coffee, building Buon Ma Thuot as a global coffee destination, market trend projections, and finally, current barriers to global coffee consumption.
Eighteen cooperation agreements were signed between local producers and international organisations and foreign firms, covering coffee exports, distribution channels to China, and sustainable production complying with EUDR regulations./.
