By ASH
Approximately half of Myanmar’s coffee production is shipped to external markets. International trade partners are eyeing Myanmar’s coffee and there are significant export potentials with the concerted efforts in the value chain including coffee businesspersons executing value-added production of coffee and farmers choosing pedigree coffee seeds to produce specialty coffee.
Myanmar’s speciality coffee is primarily shipped to the UK, Belgium, the US, the Netherlands, Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, France, Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and China. Myanmar’s coffee will penetrate more foreign markets beyond the existing 14 foreign countries.
Myanmar annually exports about 400 tonnes of coffee to foreign countries. The export volume rose to 500 tonnes in 2019. Myanmar has exported a total of 120.6 tonnes of coffee to Belgium (40.2 tonnes per batch) so far.
Expanding coffee plantation acreage
As coffee is a commercially valued crop which generates foreign income for Myanmar. There are over 49,000 acres of coffee plantations across the country. The Agriculture Department is endeavouring to add over 300,000 more acres after establishing coffee plantation zone areas.
Shan State is the main producer of Myanmar’s coffee beans with 27,000 acres, followed by Kayin State (10,029 acres) and Mandalay (over 5,000 acres).
At present, Myanmar’s coffee plantations have covered 60 per cent of the land areas where coffee can be grown. The coffee farmers are entitled to seek land permits under the existing laws.
Coffee plantation and production targets
As Myanmar’s coffee bean is a lucrative crop, the coffee industry will boost production in the coming years, aiming to add 200,000 more acres. Coffee production is expected to reach 60,000 tonnes in 2030.
Thailand buyers have a keen interest in Myanmar’s speciality coffee produced from Ywangan, Pinlaung, Hopong, Mogok and PyinOoLwin this year.
Myanmar’s coffee is harvested between December and March and distributed to the markets in late April. The coffee bean is mostly grown in Mandalay Region and Shan State and can be found in other regions and states as well.
Translated/EM
