Lam Dong accelerates coffee replanting with high-quality varieties

Farmers accelerate replanting during the rainy season

With the arrival of the rainy season, coffee-growing areas across Lam Dong province have entered the busiest replanting period of the year.

Across the major coffee-producing districts of Lam Ha, Dam Rong, Di Linh and Bao Lam, farmers are removing aging coffee trees and replacing them with improved varieties that offer higher yields, better bean quality and greater resistance to pests and diseases.

At certified seedling nurseries, customer demand has increased significantly compared with earlier this year. Disease-free grafted coffee seedlings with proven genetic quality have become the preferred choice despite their higher prices.

Coffee seedlings currently sell for between VND15,000 and VND25,000 (approximately US$0.57–0.95) per grafted plant, yet demand remains exceptionally strong.

Nguyen Thi Thu Van, a farmer in Nam Ban Lam Ha Commune , said her family is taking advantage of the favorable soil moisture to completely renovate its aging coffee plantations.

Many of the trees were planted decades ago and have experienced substantial yield declines, making replanting an unavoidable investment.

"We are replacing old coffee plantations planted with outdated varieties that no longer deliver high productivity. Although replanting requires significant upfront investment, new varieties will generate much better economic returns over the long term," Van said.

Seedling producers are also experiencing one of their busiest seasons.

Nguyen Dang Bang, owner of a coffee seedling nursery in Nam Ha Lam Ha Commune , said customer numbers have increased substantially since the beginning of the rainy season.

Meanwhile, in Dam Rong 3 Commune, many farmers have simultaneously begun replacing low-yield coffee plantations.

Le Thi Thiet said her family decided to remove its entire aging plantation and start over.

"Our coffee trees had become too old and productivity had dropped considerably. Although replanting requires substantial investment, current coffee prices give us confidence that this decision will deliver strong returns over the coming years," she said.

Persistently high coffee prices over recent years have encouraged growers to invest in improved varieties and modern cultivation techniques, supporting more sustainable production while enhancing bean quality.

Building a foundation for sustainable coffee development

Lam Dong is currently Vietnam's largest coffee-producing province, with approximately 323,241 hectares under cultivation, including more than 314,000 hectares already in production.

By the end of 2025, provincial coffee output was estimated at 1.002 million tonnes, an increase of more than 11% compared with 2021 and the highest level ever recorded.

According to provincial agricultural authorities, the achievement reflects the success of a long-term coffee replanting and grafting program implemented over recent years.

Nevertheless, around 25–30% of Lam Dong's coffee plantations are now more than 15 years old, with declining productivity, deteriorating soils and increasing vulnerability to pests and diseases.

As a result, coffee replanting remains one of the province's highest agricultural priorities to sustain production and strengthen the competitiveness of Vietnam's coffee industry.

Truong Van Sang, Chairman of the People's Committee of Dam Rong 2 Commune, said local authorities have introduced programs encouraging farmers to renovate aging plantations.

"The commune has developed plans to rehabilitate low-efficiency gardens while encouraging growers to replace old coffee trees with high-quality varieties better suited to local conditions. At the same time, technical guidance is being strengthened to ensure replanting follows proper cultivation practices and improves production efficiency," Sang said.

According to the Lam Dong Department of Agriculture and Environment, between 2021 and 2025 the province successfully replanted or rejuvenated more than 45,600 hectares of coffee, achieving approximately 85% of its planned target.

Improved varieties—including TR4, TR9, TRS1, TS5 (Green Dwarf) and climbing coffee cultivars—have been widely introduced. More than 70% of replanted areas now use certified varieties officially recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

The program has delivered increasingly visible results.

Tree survival rates exceed 90%, while average yields have reached 4–6 tonnes of green coffee beans per hectare, representing an improvement of approximately 40–60% compared with plantations before replanting.

The adoption of drip irrigation combined with fertigation has reduced water and fertilizer consumption by 40–50%, while significantly lowering the incidence of root diseases and leaf yellowing.

Many localities are also expanding intercropping systems that combine coffee with black pepper or durian, improving land-use efficiency, diversifying household incomes and enhancing resilience to climate change.

Beyond productivity improvements, Lam Dong possesses one of Vietnam's most diverse coffee ecosystems, with Robusta, Arabica, Catimor, Bourbon and Cherry varieties grown across the province.

In particular, the Cau Dat Arabica growing region is widely recognized as one of Vietnam's premier specialty coffee origins, providing a strong foundation for expanding high-value specialty coffee production.

With the country's largest coffee-growing area and production volume, combined with an ambitious strategy focused on replanting, technological innovation and sustainable cultivation, Lam Dong is steadily reinforcing its position as Vietnam's leading coffee-producing province while advancing toward deeper integration into the global coffee value chain.