Thai Nhu Hiep, Vice Chairman of Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association (VICOFA), said that to improve the quality of Vietnam's Robusta coffee, "we have to start with better coffee varieties, suitable growing conditions and quality agricultural inputs."
But technology is only part of the solution, Hiep said, adding that businesses must also set clear quality standards, assess products fairly and reward farmers for quality.
Vietnam has more than 720,000 hectares of coffee plantations, with Robusta accounting for about 95% of the total. The country supplies around 40% of the world's Robusta coffee, providing livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of farming households, particularly in the Central Highlands.
