Coffee market: Efforts to produce good quality

In order to make Myanmar coffee to stand firmly in the world market, coffee farmers have been working hard to produce good quality coffee. Almost 50,000 acres of coffee plantation are cultivated in Myanmar, and more than 9,000 tons are produced a year, earning 36 million US dollars per year.

Since the country has to import coffee powder worth about 50 million US dollars of from abroad, concerned officials are working to expand coffee plantation. In Myanmar, there are two types coffee, highland coffee and lowland coffee.

Highland coffee is grown in Kachin, Kayah, Chin and Shan states, Mandalay Region, Magway Region, and Sagaing Region. Lowland coffee is mostly grown in Kayin and Mon States and Tanintharyi, Ayeyawaddy and Bago Regions.

In the next 5 years, coffee farmers are targeting to cultivate up to 300,000 acres of coffee. 200,000 out of the 300,000 acres of highland coffee will be divided into 4 zones from Pyin Oo Lwin to Tachileik, and the rest 100,000 acres of lowland coffee will be planted in Tanintharyi and Ayeyarwaddy regions and Kayin State.

It is estimated that 200,000 acres of highland coffee can produce 40,000 tons of raw coffee, and 100,000 acres of lowland coffee can produce 30,000 tons of raw coffee - it is estimated that least 232 million US dollars will be earned per year.