Myanmar exports international-quality coffee to 14 countries

Myanmar plants Arabic and Robusta and exports international quality Myanmar Coffee to 14 countries, according to PyinOoLwin Coffee Farm (Pway Taung).
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA)accepts the Arabic and Robusta planted in Myanmar as international standard Myanmar coffee at 89 marks for Arabic grown in highlands and 92 marks for Robusta grown in lowlands for their aroma and taste. The coffee with a score of 60 marks is regarded as normal commercial coffee and the coffee with a score of 70 marks and above are international quality coffee.
“Myanmar produces two types of coffee Robusta and Arabica coffee. The Robusta gets 92 marks while Arabica 89 marks to be world-class and so we have to give coffee samples to the buyer countries. After the test, they make offers such as one or two containers or one tonne. When the coffee is tested again, the smell of Myanma coffee is like banana, apple, lime and orange and the Robusta smells like spices. The quality Myanma coffee is in good demand paying higher than the global prices in western countries. The coffee consumption rate is higher and the small-scale production rate is also high locally.
“The PyinOoLwin coffee centre launches coffee quality analyzing training course to share knowledge in producing the Myanma coffee by inspecting the quality whether it is for local or for export,” said Deputy Director Daw Mi Mi Myint, in charge of PyinOoLwin Township coffee research and technology dissemination centre under Agriculture Department.
At the PyinOoLwin Coffee Knowledge Centre, the basic coffee quality analyzing course was conducted on 5 and 6 October jointly by the Coffee Division of the Agriculture Department and the Myanmar Coffee Association. Those who get Pre-Q certificates after the Pre-Test also launch training sessions for others.
The coffee produced in Myanmar is exported to 14 countries including the UK, America, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Japan, China, Korea, Chinese Taipei and Thailand. The coffee farmers are making efforts to produce quality coffee rather than conducting trading processes to receive foreign income.
The coffee culture has been developing in the country and there are four or five new cafes in Mandalay per month. In Yangon, the consumption of instant coffee drops and the number of coffee shops which sell coffee by grinding coffee seeds are enormously increasing and creating job opportunities.
Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer and European countries drink the most coffee. It is between US$7,500 and $8,000 per tonne. Depending on the production rate and job opportunities, it fetches $9,000 per tonne if the females grow it. Coffee is the second-most traded commodity in the whole world, second only to crude oil. It is also the second most consumed beverage in the world.
PyinOoLwin Township produces 500 metric tons of coffee per year while 700 metric tons are produced in Ywangan with Shan State being a top producer. The country exports them to 14 countries at present. — Nyein Thu (MNA)/GNLM