Coffee exports hit record high

 Among Việt Nam’s 80 coffee importing markets, the US is Việt Nam’s biggest consumer in 2011 with 140,000 tons, followed by the EU.

It is expected that Việt Nam will export 1.1 million tons of coffee in 2012, accounting for 14-15% of global output, VICOFA said, adding that the country will promote exports to Asian markets and improve the quality of products.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) attributes the record high export turnover to the high price of coffee, which reached US $2,210 per ton in the first ten months of 2011, up 51.5% against the same period last year.

MoIT Deputy Minister Nguyễn Thành Biên has asked VICOFA to work closely with related agencies to prepare plans for coffee exports in 2012 and throughout the 2011-2015 period in order to improve businesses’ competitive edge.

Although Việt Nam is now the world’s second biggest coffee exporter after Brazil, it is not on a par with its potential. Therefore, it is necessary to build strong brand names for Vietnamese coffee to ensure the sustainable development of the sector.