MILAN – Vietnam’s share of the world’s coffee market rose from 1% in 1991 to 17% in 2017, the Chairman of the country’s Coffee and Cocoa Association (Vicofa) Luong Van Tu said at a press conference held in Hanoi to present the second Vietnam Coffee Day 2018. Vicofa expects export to reach this year a volume of 1.7 million bags , earning about US$3.5 billion.
The share of processed coffee (roast and ground and instant) is growing strongly, with exports of instant coffee reaching 120,000 tonnes during the 2017-2018 crop.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development forecast that at least 25% of coffee beans will be processed into ground and instant coffee by 2020.
ADB to help modernise irrigation systems
In other news, The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved aid worth over 100 million USD to help the Vietnamese Government install eight modernised irrigation systems in five drought-affected provinces, according to the bank’s November 27 news release.
The bank’s move is expected to contribute to improving agricultural productivity, especially among farmers growing high-value crops such as coffee, peppers, grapes, dragon fruits, and mangoes.
Its support for the upgraded irrigation systems, which will supply water on-demand through pressurised pipe systems, will cover policy measures to help Binh Thuan, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Khanh Hoa, and Ninh Thuan provinces improve irrigation management services, including the operations and maintenance of irrigation infrastructure.
It will also assist the development of improved groundwater and water productivity assessments, as well as micro-irrigation systems based on the type of crops and farmer demand.
