Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong visits a coffee garden of Nguyen Dang Tinh, in Nam Ban township, Lam Ha district (Source: VNA) Lam Dong (VNA) – Measures were sought to promotecoffee processing to enhance coffee export value to 6 billion USD by 2030 at aworkshop in Da Lat city, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on December9.
The event was organised by the Vietnam Coffee and CocoaAssociation (VICOFA) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development(MARD).
Addressing the event, MARD Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong underlinedthe development of the coffee sector.
Vietnam made up less than one percent of the world’s coffeeoutput 30 years ago. In 2016, Vietnam became the world’s second biggest coffeeproducer, with 645,000 hectares producing 1.6 million tonnes of beans.
The sector earned 3.4 billion USD in export value andprovided jobs for some 600,000 people in the year.
Coffee plants have made significant contribution to thenation’s development and the wellbeing of Vietnamese farmers, Cuong said.
By 2030, Vietnam aims to reduce coffee growing area in placeswith unfavourable conditions while focusing on processing and stakeholderconnections to raise added value, said Cuong.
He also noted the potential for Vietnam’s coffee sector,elaborating that the world’s coffee market is valued at 500 billion USD whileVietnam’s exports are worth only 3.4 billion USD.
With a population of nearly 100 million people, 65 percent ofthem young and with a fast urbanisation rate, the domestic market also offershuge potential for the sector, he added.
At the event, participants suggested old coffee trees bereplaced with high-yield ones to raise productivity while investing more incoffee processing.
The event forms part of activities during the Vietnam CoffeeDay, the first of its kind, taking place in Da Lat city from December 9-11.VNA
VNA
