Replanted coffee achieves outstanding productivity

Outstanding productivity

The 2.5-hectare coffee plantation of Mr. Nguyen Tan Luc in Village 4, Chu Se Commune (Gia Lai Province) was replanted during the 2022 rainy season. Along with replanting coffee, Mr. Luc intercropped pepper and durian trees to provide shade for the coffee while increasing income on the same area. After three years, thanks to proper techniques, careful tending, and organic-oriented cultivation, his coffee garden has thrived, with lush foliage and heavy fruiting, yielding productivity far beyond expectations.

Mr. Luc shared with delight: “This year, although it’s only the first harvest, some trees have already produced up to 15 kilograms of fresh cherries. Based on the fruit load, I estimate the yield to reach 7-8 tons of fresh cherries per hectare (equivalent to about 1.2-1.5 tons of dry beans), with large and uniform coffee cherries. In another two to three years, when the trees reach stable productivity, my replanted coffee garden will surely yield 4.5-5 tons of dry beans per hectare.”

Before replanting, his old, aging coffee garden produced only about 1.5 tons of beans per hectare. This result clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of replanting, especially when combining new varieties with organic cultivation methods.

Similarly, the family of Mr. Le Van Hien in Village 10, Hoa Thang Commune, Dak Lak Province, owns one hectare of coffee. Previously, they used old varieties that had become degenerated, so despite good care, the yield was only around 2 tons per hectare. To improve productivity, in 2015, Mr. Hien decided to replant the entire area. The coffee now yields a stable 4.5-5 tons of beans per hectare, while the new variety also provides better resistance to leaf rust and improved drought tolerance.

Lam Anh Agricultural and Service Cooperative in Dak Doa Commune, Gia Lai Province, manages 300 hectares of coffee. In recent years, members have focused on replanting about 20-30 hectares of old coffee. According to Mr. Le Huu Anh, the Cooperative’s Director, the replanted areas have shown strong growth and outstanding yield and quality thanks to the use of new varieties and the application of advanced cultivation techniques. Previously, 25-30-year-old coffee gardens produced only 1-1.5 tons of beans per hectare, whereas the replanted ones now yield a stable 3.5-4 tons per hectare after three to four years - even up to 5 tons per hectare for households that invest properly in varieties and cultivation practices.

However, since 2024, coffee replanting in Dak Doa Commune has faced many challenges. The main reason is that coffee prices have remained high, bringing good profits, so farmers are reluctant to cut down their productive coffee gardens for replanting.

“At present, coffee prices are stable at a high level, so farmers prefer to take advantage of the good market to maximize income rather than replant, as starting over requires about three years before harvesting,” said Mr. Le Huu Anh. He added that the Lam Anh Agricultural and Service Cooperative has been actively encouraging its members to replant aging coffee gardens and has coordinated with the agricultural sector to organize technical training sessions, guiding farmers on seed selection, soil improvement, fertilization, and proper cultivation practices.

“In reality, replanted coffee gardens that receive good investment and proper technical care have all grown very well, with high productivity, uniform bean quality, and stable, sustainable income,” Mr. Le Huu Anh affirmed.

Nearly 75,000 hectares replanted in five years

According to the Plant Production and Protection Department, the Coffee Replanting Project for the 2021-2025 period, implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), set a target of replanting 91,000 hectares of coffee in the Central Highlands. This includes 64,000 hectares of replanting and 27,000 hectares of rejuvenation through grafting. Specifically, Lam Dong Province (formerly Lam Dong and Dak Nong) accounts for 54,000 hectares of replanting and grafting; Dak Lak Province, 24,000 hectares; Gia Lai Province, 11,000 hectares; and Quang Ngai Province (formerly Kon Tun), 2,000 hectares.

To effectively implement the Project, provinces across the Central Highlands have issued decisions approving their coffee replanting plans for the 2021-2025 period. The replanting focuses on replacing old, low-yield coffee areas with new varieties that demonstrate strong growth, good resistance to pests and diseases, high yield and quality, and compliance with export standards.

According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Manh, Deputy Director of the Plant Production and Protection Department, the total area of coffee replanted and rejuvenated through grafting from 2021 to September 2025 in the Central Highlands reached 74,503 hectares, equivalent to 82% of the target. Specifically, Lam Dong Province achieved 45,644 hectares, Dak Lak 17,874 hectares, Gia Lai 9,150 hectares, and Quang Ngai 1,824 hectares.

Experts have assessed that the coffee replanting program in recent years has brought remarkable results to the Central Highlands. Most replanted coffee areas now use new varieties that grow well, produce high yields and quality beans, and deliver significant economic benefits, contributing to the region’s sustainable coffee development program.

Most of the varieties used for coffee replanting are new high-yield Robusta types that not only produce good-quality beans but also have excellent resistance to leaf rust, such as TR4, TR9, TR11, TR13, and TRS1. In recent years, farmers have also used TR4, TR15, vine-type coffee, and short-statured green varieties for replanting. These varieties mature late (from January to February), coinciding with the dry season in the Central Highlands, which is highly favorable for harvesting and processing, reduces labor pressure during the harvest period, and saves one round of irrigation.

Farmers have also effectively practiced intercropping high-value crops such as durian, pepper, and macadamia during coffee replanting. These not only provide shade for coffee trees but also increase income on the same unit of land.

However, according to the Plant Production and Protection Department, coffee replanting requires significant investment and high initial costs, with a basic construction period lasting from three to five years. Moreover, since 2024, as coffee prices have risen and production has become more profitable, many farmers have been hesitant to replant for fear of losing income during the non-productive phase.

In addition, limited access to preferential credit has also been a barrier. Under current regulations, loan disbursements for replanting are made in several stages based on project progress. Each disbursement requires an inspection of project implementation and fund usage, which makes many farmers uncomfortable. As a result, some prefer to take commercial bank loans with higher interest rates in order to receive the entire amount at once.

The Department also noted that in recent years, several intercropping models have demonstrated high economic efficiency. The coffee-durian model provides the highest profit, exceeding USD 13,000 per hectare; coffee intercropped with pepper yields over USD 12,000 per hectare; while coffee-avocado and coffee-macadamia models bring returns of more than USD 8,000 per hectare. Intercropping helps farmers maximize land use, diversify income sources, reduce risks, and enhance economic efficiency per unit of cultivated land.

* USD 1 = VND 26,075 (Source: Vietcombank)