Vast, emerald-green Arabica coffee gardens now blanket the hills and mountain slopes of Chiềng Cọ Commune in Sơn La City, Sơn La Province. Coffee has become the key crop—helping residents eradicate poverty and build real wealth.
“Gambling” on Coffee
Arabica coffee was first introduced to Chiềng Cọ in 1998. At the time, most locals were reluctant to plant this unfamiliar crop; they were used to growing corn and cassava. Quàng Văn Lẻ, Chairman of the Chiềng Cọ People’s Committee, recalled: “Some said that if corn or cassava doesn’t sell, at least you can still eat it; but if coffee doesn’t sell, you’ll starve—no one can live on coffee. Their worries were understandable. So the commune had to guarantee market access and support seedlings and fertilizers to reassure farmers. Only then did many households agree to try.”
After 14 years of perseverance, Chiềng Cọ’s coffee area has expanded to 450 hectares, of which about 380 hectares are already in production. Yields average 8.5–9.5 tons of fresh cherries per hectare, with total annual output estimated at roughly 3,000 tons. According to the commune authorities, coffee alone now generates around 32 billion VND each year.
On average, the commune continues to plant 5–10 new hectares of coffee annually. Although the available land is nearly exhausted, recognizing coffee’s high economic value, many households have converted less profitable corn and cassava fields into coffee. Today, rice occupies only about 100 ha, corn 90 ha, and cassava 130 ha.
“To boost coffee production, we encouraged residents to buy nearly 100 small tillers and hundreds of water pumps for irrigation. We also directed local organizations to provide over 5 billion VND in microcredit loans to more than 400 households to develop their farms,” Lẻ explained.
The “Tycoons” of the Northwest Highlands
After more than a decade of taking root in Chiềng Cọ, Arabica coffee has brought prosperity: solid houses, motorbikes, even cars. Lò Văn Phương from Ót Nọi hamlet shared, “Our family used to be very poor—our roof leaked, and we never had enough to eat. Since planting coffee, we no longer worry about food, and our house is much better now.” His family cultivates 1.4 ha of coffee, harvesting about 20 tons of fresh cherries each year and netting around 120 million VND after expenses.
Leading us up his coffee-covered hill, Cà Văn Biển, also from Ót Nọi, proudly said, “This whole area is my coffee farm.” According to Biển, while coffee yields in Sơn La are slightly lower than in the Central Highlands, the quality is just as good. “Last year, from 4 ha of coffee, I harvested nearly 40 tons of fresh cherries. At prices of 14,000–15,000 VND per kilogram, after costs I earned over 300 million VND—equal to the combined income from corn and cassava of half the hamlet,” he noted.
Among the most successful coffee growers is Quàng Văn Ban, owner of the largest and most beautiful house in the village. “Coffee cultivation is somewhat similar to tea, but its economic value is higher. Coffee depends heavily on the weather and is easily affected by fungal diseases, especially during flowering and fruiting. If problems aren’t detected and treated in time, yields and quality can be severely impacted,” Ban explained.
From a risky experiment to a proven path to wealth, Arabica coffee has turned many once-poor farmers of Chiềng Cọ into true “tycoons” of the Northwest mountains.