THUAN CHAU – A BRIGHT SPOT IN SON LA’S ARABICA COFFEE GROWING REGION

With a large cultivation area and ideal climatic conditions, Thuan Chau possesses excellent potential to become a leading sustainable Arabica coffee production region in the North. Detech Coffee is making systematic investments to fully tap into this potential, applying science, technology, and advanced cultivation models to improve coffee productivity and quality.

According to statistics from the Son La Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the total area of Arabica coffee cultivation in Thuan Chau district reaches over 5,600 hectares.

The area that has begun harvesting accounts for 5,000 hectares, with an estimated productivity and yield of 10 tons/hectare.

However, a large portion of the coffee area in Thuan Chau is still cultivated using traditional varieties and farming methods. This prevents productivity and quality from achieving stability and sustainability. Climate change also threatens production as the conventional varieties adapt poorly to extreme weather conditions such as frost and intense heat.

Recognizing the potential and challenges above, Detech Coffee has decided to make systematic investments in the raw material area in Thuan Chau. Detech Coffee is investing in researching and trial planting of high-yielding, high-quality, and climate-change resilient coffee varieties such as Starmaya and H1. This is an essential foundation for Detech Coffee to develop sustainably.

October 21st marked an important step in Detech Coffee’s journey to develop a sustainable coffee industry. The company was honoured to receive the “Decision to approve the investment proposal and investor” from the Son La Provincial People’s Committee. This is a recognition of Detech Coffee’s continuous efforts to build a long-term development strategy responsible for the environment and community.

“In recent times, Detech Coffee has implemented many activities aimed at developing a high-quality Arabica coffee raw material area in Thuan Chau district,” shared Mr Nguyen Mai Sinh, CEO of Detech Coffee. “We have invested in trial planting of climate change-resilient coffee varieties and applied an intercropping model of coffee and macadamia to maximize land utilization, increase income, and create a diverse landscape.”

“To objectively evaluate the effectiveness of the model, we have recently invited foreign partners to survey the area. After directly surveying and meeting with farmers, the partners highly appreciated the quality as well as the sustainable farming practices employed here,” shared Mrs Dao Ngoc Anh, Chairwoman of Detech Coffee.

Overall, Thuan Chau district gradually affirms its position as a quality Arabica coffee growing area in Son La. In the coming time, with the support of local authorities, Detech Coffee will continue to develop sustainable coffee models, contributing to the development of Thuan Chau Arabica coffee both domestically and internationally.