Hundreds of thousands of hectares of aging, low-yield coffee plantations in Vietnam’s Central Highlands must be cleared and replanted to sustain the nation’s coffee industry. To ensure success, experts emphasize that strict adherence to technical procedures is essential.
Rapid Growth and Economic Importance
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Vietnam’s coffee industry has expanded dramatically over the past decades:
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1980: 22,500 ha of coffee, average yield 0.78 t/ha, total production 8,400 t.
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1990: 119,000 ha, yield 1.4 t/ha, production 92,000 t.
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Today: Over 525,000 ha, more than 90% in the Central Highlands, with average yields of 1.8–2.0 t/ha, producing roughly 1 million tons annually.
Coffee now contributes significantly to socio-economic development, making Vietnam the world’s second-largest coffee exporter and the leading exporter of robusta, earning nearly USD 2 billion each year, second only to rice among the country’s agricultural exports.
Challenges of Uncontrolled Expansion
According to Dr. Lê Ngọc Báu, Director of the Western Highlands Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute (WASI), rapid expansion has brought serious problems:
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Depletion of water resources
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Deforestation
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Environmental degradation
More than 100,000 ha of coffee trees over 20 years old now show poor growth and yields below 1.5 t/ha, with no chance of rejuvenation or grafting. These aging plantations threaten the long-term sustainability of Vietnam’s coffee sector—making replanting the only solution.
Replanting Obstacles and Disease Risks
Replanting faces serious challenges:
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In many areas, new coffee planted immediately after old trees were removed soon suffered yellow-leaf and root-rot disease, forcing farmers to clear fields again.
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Even plots without obvious symptoms often developed yellowing and root decay two to three years after replanting if the land had not been rotated or the old roots thoroughly removed.
Key Disease Agents Identified by WASI
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34 species of plant-parasitic nematodes, especially Pratylenchus coffeae.
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Two key fungi: Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum.
Certain sites—such as those lacking dry-season irrigation, with shallow soils, or on steep slopes—are unsuitable for coffee replanting and should be converted to alternative crops like rubber, cocoa, or macadamia.
Proven Replanting Models
Successful models in the Central Highlands follow strict protocols:
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Thoroughly clear land and remove all old roots.
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Rotate with non-host crops—such as beans, corn, or cotton—for 2–4 years before replanting coffee.
Result: Replanted plots now yield a stable 2.5–3 t of coffee beans per hectare.
Expert Recommendations for Sustainable Replanting
Dr. Báu recommends an integrated approach to restore productivity and ensure long-term sustainability:
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Start with disease-free planting material.
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Increase applications of organic fertilizer to suppress nematodes and improve soil health.
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Strictly follow technical steps, including:
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Complete root removal of old coffee plants.
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Two- to four-year rotation with non-host crops before replanting.
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Vietnam’s coffee industry—second only to rice in export value—faces a critical turning point. To maintain global leadership and protect the environment, the Central Highlands must replant aging coffee areas using scientifically proven methods. By following WASI’s technical guidelines and adopting an integrated disease-management strategy, the region can secure sustainable, high-yield coffee production for decades to come.