Vietnam’s 2026/27 robusta coffee crop could see a slight increase in output, though the threat posed by this year’s El Niño should not be underestimated, Thai Nhu Hiep, vice chairman of the Vietnam Coffee-Cocoa Association, told Reuters. The slight increase in output should come as areas replanted in recent years enter phases of more stable yields, Hiep, who is also chairman and CEO of Vietnamese coffee exporter Vinh Hiep Co., Ltd, said late on Thursday. Though he did not give a production forecast of his own, Hiep pointed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which expects Vietnamese coffee production of 32 million 60-kilogram bags in the 2026/27 crop, the overwhelming majority of which is robusta coffee. However, the threat from the El Niño weather phenomenon cannot be ignored, Hiep said, adding that Vietnam’s central highlands region is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather patterns during crucial parts of the crop cycle. “For Vietnam, adapting to climate change is no longer a future concern. It has become an urgent necessity to safeguard coffee production,” Hiep said while in Brazil for an international coffee event. Vietnam’s coffee industry is collaborating with farmers to develop a specialty robusta profile based on quality, helping the country’s beans gain recognition for their unique origins, he said. “We believe this approach will boost export value while enabling farmers to capture a larger share of the value generated throughout the coffee supply chain,” he said. The country is also building data infrastructure to help meet European Union rules on traceability intended to prevent deforestation caused by crops like coffee, Hiep said. Twice delayed due to its complexity, the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) requires importers of commodities and related goods to prove their products weren’t grown on recently deforested land. “EUDR should not be viewed merely as a barrier to exports,” Hiep said. “It also presents an opportunity for Vietnam to build a coffee supply chain that is more transparent, sustainable, and competitive in the long run.” Reporting by Oliver Griffin; Editing by Kirsten Donovan
