“Sweet” expectations for the coffee harvest

In the first eight months of 2025, Vietnam’s coffee exports reached 6.4 billion USD, far exceeding the total export value for all of 2024. This surge has driven coffee prices to break records repeatedly. At present, coffee-growing areas across the province are entering the new harvest season. Forecasts suggest that this year’s crop will deliver higher yields than in previous years. Coffee farmers are hopeful for a season that brings both a bumper harvest and strong prices, a truly sweet outcome.

Coffee farmers in Phu Vinh Commune hope for a bumper crop with high market prices during the 2025 harvest season. Photo: Binh Nguyen

Thanks to soaring prices, coffee has once again become a highly profitable crop. Many farmers across the province are focusing on new plantations or replanting old fields, pushing coffee acreage to rise sharply. Coffee remains a key agricultural product in the province, with a clear orientation toward quality investment and building Dong Nai’s coffee brand.

Coffee’s golden days return

After several crop rotations, farmer Mai Thi Tuyet from Phu Vinh Commune has invested in replanting over 1 hectare of coffee. Her family’s coffee garden is now entering the harvest season.

She shared: “In the past, my family had many years of experience in coffee cultivation. The soil and climate here are highly suitable for this crop. However, due to years of falling prices, we had to switch to other plants. In recent years, coffee prices have steadily risen, so I decided to replant. This year’s harvest is expected to bring high yields with excellent bean quality. With current strong market prices, coffee growers like us are hopeful for a truly bumper season, both in yield and in profit.”

In the first 8 months of 2025, Vietnam exported 1.2 million tons of coffee, earning 6.4 billion USD, an increase of 8.7% in volume and 59% in value compared with the same period in 2024. Despite market fluctuations since the beginning of the year, coffee prices have remained high. Forecasts suggest that in the 2025 crop year, coffee will continue to sell at strong prices, delivering solid profits for farmers.

Ngo Thanh Thanh, a farmer in Bau Ham commune, has chosen to intercrop coffee trees in his banana garden. This year, his more than 3,000 coffee trees have begun to bear their first fruits. Although it is only the initial harvest, Thanh remains optimistic about good profits, thanks to the heavy fruiting and high coffee prices.

According to him, coffee was once the region’s key crop, but when prices fell, farmers shifted to bananas. Over the past 2–3 years, however, coffee prices have repeatedly set records, prompting many local farmers to replant coffee. Compared with fruit trees, coffee requires less investment. After harvesting, farmers can store their beans and wait for better prices before selling, reducing the risk of losses from oversupply.

Adding value to a key crop through quality

Dong Nai has a long history of coffee cultivation, dating back to the 1960s, thanks to its favorable soil conditions. After the recent administrative merger, the province’s coffee-growing area reached more than 20,000 hectares. Notably, the former Binh Phuoc province had already developed large-scale specialized coffee zones. Intercropping models, coffee with cashew or fruit orchards, have increasingly proven their economic efficiency. Farmers replanting or rejuvenating old coffee gardens now prefer new varieties that offer earlier harvests, higher yields, and better quality.

Forecasts suggest that coffee acreage in Dong Nai will continue to expand, driven by strong export growth and record-high prices. Coffee remains the province’s flagship crop, with the agricultural sector prioritizing intensive development in the coming years.

Deputy Director of Dong Nai’s Department of Agriculture and Environment, Le Thi Anh Tuyet, noted: With over 20,000 hectares, Dong Nai ranks among Vietnam’s largest coffee-growing provinces. The province also benefits from attracting corporations and enterprises investing in warehouses and advanced coffee processing plants for export. This feature has made Dong Nai one of the “coffee capitals” of southern Vietnam. Looking ahead, coffee will continue to be a top priority for the province’s agricultural sector, with organic coffee, specialty coffee, and sustainable value-chain models being expanded to enhance quality and build a strong Dong Nai coffee brand.

By Binh Nguyen - Translated by Quynh Giao, Minho