What is Chieng Ban Coffee?

Son La is famous for its coffee – growing area – Chieng Ban that is in Chieng Ban village, Mai Son district, Son La province. According to Khanh Pham – head of the district’s administrative committee, coffee has been grown here since 1997. At that time, the total cultivation area of the whole district was just approximately 100 hectare. In addition, limited ability of cultivation, fluctuated market price resulted in the lack of passion with coffee cultivation. Especially, the strike of hoarfrost made the coffee harvest of that year fail seriously; consequently, many farmers became disappointed. However, thanks to the efforts related by the government such as organized training course, farmers have believed in coffee industry and continued to grow coffee until now.

Where is Chieng Ban?

During the period of nearly 20 years, Chieng Ban has formed an intensive cultivation and extensive cultivation area of 1000 hectare, 100.000 tony output yield coffee. Particularly, the consumed percentage of families who have at least one hectare of coffee is around 70%. In 2011, the total coffee revenue of the district raised up to 130 billion VND. On the average, each hectare coffee produces. Stable income above 100 million VND every year. Furthermore, the knowledge of product development combined with advance technology of local people has been enhanced gradually in Chieng Ban. For future-oriented development, coffee still plays a key role in the economics of Chieng Ban. The next step is to focus on deeply investment which means putting technology applied science in production because currently. There is not land left to expand coffee-growing area. By this way, Chieng Ban coffee products are committed to become a reputable brand in the market which is beloved by many people at a stable price. Moreover, that also contributes to reduce poor and improve standard of living for local people in Chieng Ban in particular and the whole Mai Son district in general.

Chieng Ban – Could it be a promising origin?

Chieng Ban coffee became famous in the scheme map of Vietnam coffee-cacao association. This is the largest area, which specializes in Arabica coffee. Although Chieng Ban coffee of Son La is not grown under the condition of basalt soil areas and ideal height like Central Highlands, Son La has the types of land in barren soil laying which are suitable for coffee. With high altitudes between latitudes 20.039 degrees north and 22.002 degrees north, Arabica coffee here still has a very strong vitality without being watered. Furthermore, many decades-old trees with thick stems widespread whose flavored coffee beans is not worse than the French varieties planted in Lam Dong from the 30s last century. In addition, Chieng Ban coffee is belonging to the North West, one of perfect position for Arabica.

To sum up, Chieng Ban village possesses a perfect condition in terms of altitude, soils and mountainous hills to grow up premium arabica coffee beans. Arabica from Chieng Ban is eveluated as a specialty coffee of Vietnam. Together with Chieng Ban and Cau Dat, Vietnam’s single origin coffees are playing more important roles on world’s specialty coffee production.