During a recent press briefing inHo Chi Minh City to introduce activities within the framework of Vietnam CoffeeDay (December 10), VCCA Chairman Luong Van Tu said the sector is restructuringitself to improve competitiveness.
To achieve the goal, the sectorplans to adopt advanced and eco-friendly technologies in order to increase therate of processing products of high added value, including instant and groundcoffee, to 30 percent from the current 10 percent.
Over the past years, coffee hasbecome an important agricultural product of the country, generating jobs for millionsof workers and raking in billions of USD from export to 80 countries worldwide.Vietnam’s coffee currently accounts for 15 percent of the global consumption.The country is the world’s biggest robusta coffee producer and exporter and thesecond largest producer of coffee beans.
In order to develop the coffeeindustry, the Prime Minister recently designated December 10, when President HoChi Minh visited Dong Hieu coffee plantation in the central province of Nghe An55 years ago, as “Vietnam Coffee Day”.
The festival “Coffee Vietnam Day 2016”is slated for December 8-11 in Ho Chi Minh City with a range of activities,including a ceremony to announce the PM’s decision on Vietnam Coffee Day,coffee tasting sessions, an event to honour individuals and organisations whodedicate to the sector, and announce the list of prestigious coffeemanufacturers and processors, and several seminars.
The event is expected to allowbusinesses to seek partners and market their products to domestic and foreignconsumers./.