Overview
Vietnam's Arabica coffee is small in volume, at only about 5% of total coffee production, but its high quality has drawn international attention in recent years. Compared with Robusta, Arabica is characterized by a delicate flavor and rich aroma, and demand in the specialty-coffee market is surging.
Vietnam's Arabica is produced at about 50,000–60,000 tonnes a year, and several varieties are grown, such as Caturra and Catimor. Expanding high-quality Arabica production is at the core of the Vietnamese coffee industry's value-adding strategy.
Growing regions and areas
Arabica cultivation is limited to cool highlands above 1,000 m in elevation. The main growing areas are Lam Dong province(around Da Lat) and, in the northwest, Son La province. In Lam Dong province, an environment with an annual average temperature of 18–22 degrees and an elevation of 1,200–1,500 m is ideal for Arabica cultivation. In Son La province, ethnic-minority farmers grow it using traditional methods, producing a distinctive flavor profile.
Cultivation methods and harvest season
Arabica's harvest season runs from November to March of the following year. Cherry picking—selecting and hand-picking only fully ripe fruit—is the mainstream. After harvest, it is processed by the washed (water-washing) or natural (natural-drying) method. In recent years, anaerobic (anaerobic-fermentation) processing using fermentation techniques has also been introduced, producing coffee with a distinctive flavor.
Exports and market trends
Vietnamese Arabica coffee is exported to the EU, Japan, the US, and South Korea. Specialty-grade coffee sometimes trades at a high price of more than US$10 per kg, three to five times the price of ordinary Robusta. Spurred by awards at quality contests, its international reputation is rising rapidly, building new brand value for Vietnamese coffee.
Connections with Japan
Interest in Vietnamese Arabica is rising, centered on Japanese specialty-coffee roasters. Direct trade, in which Japanese coffee importers deal directly with farms in Da Lat and Son La, is also increasing. Raising recognition as a single origin in the Japanese market is a challenge, but its high quality raises expectations for expanded imports going forward.
