The Brah Yàng Mountain peak (in Dinh Lac commune, Di Linh district) with an altitude of around 1,300 meters above sea level provides an ideal condition for Mr. Nguyen Thai Nam and his three friends to work together for nearly 7 years, successfully establishing a 35-hectare organic coffee farm certified under the USDA standards.
Overcoming the steep and winding path of over 3 kilometers, we arrived at the coffee farm of the Organic Agricultural Products Co., Ltd. Vietnam on a midweek day in April. The scorching sun and wind did not discourage the coffee workers here. Mr. Nguyen Thai Nam, one of the four owners, shared that since 2016, after exploration and learning, he and his friends have been collaborating in organic coffee production on a 35-hectare area, simultaneously establishing the Organic Agricultural Products Co., Ltd. Vietnam.
Regarding the care process for the plantation, Mr. Nam revealed that, unlike the traditional methods, the entire grass carpet covering the 35-hectare farm is maintained to preserve moisture and create a living environment for natural enemies. In the case of overgrown grass that affects the coffee’s growth, a trimming machine is used to cut the top part. Mr. Nam also mentioned that he utilizes byproducts such as coffee husks and branches from trees in the farm to compost along with Trichoderma and other organic fertilizers and microorganisms to nourish the plants. In the event of pests and diseases affecting the coffee, the farm owners employ various biological preparations for prevention.
“Coffee is cultivated in the direction of biodiversity with many layers of crops. The top is a forest tree, the middle is coffee, the lowest floor for grass to grow naturally, along with other living creatures that exist and develop. The purpose of this is to create shade for coffee, prevent erosion, retain moisture, provide organic matter to the soil, balance the ecosystem to help earthworms, weaver ants, ladybugs, mantises, bees sign. beneficial microorganisms develop”, Mr. Nam shared.
At present, with the organic production process, the entire coffee plantation is showing good development. The plants are robust and less susceptible to pests and diseases. In the 2022-2023 season, the 35-hectare coffee plantation yielded nearly 100 tons of green beans. Particularly, on March 1, 2023, after a series of assessments and inspections related to buffer zones, isolation areas, water sources, soil quality, residues of pesticides, chemicals, heavy metals, the coffee model of the Organic Agricultural Products Co., Ltd. Vietnam was certified by the USDA under the National Organic Program of the United States Department of Agriculture. This is a great motivation for organic coffee farmers like Mr. Nam to continue elevating the brand, value, and quality of coffee beans grown in the Di Linh region.
Mr. Tran Anh Khoa, the Director of the Organic Agricultural Products Co., Ltd. Vietnam, joyfully added, “At an altitude of nearly 1,300 meters above sea level, besides suitable climate conditions and relatively good soil fertility, the coffee cultivated here is of no lesser quality than that of the Cau Dat coffee region (Da Lat) or any other region in Vietnam. This is because organic cultivation prolongs the growth cycle, slows down the nutrient accumulation in the beans, resulting in richer flavor and firmer, heavier beans. Currently, the processing capacity of these factories is around 200 tons of beans per year, producing 5 tons of finished coffee per month. We are selling organic coffee products through the US market, several European countries, and countries like Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. The price of organic coffee (green beans) is 2.5 to 3 times higher than that of conventional coffee.
Joining us on a visit to the American standard organic coffee farm in the region, Mr. Vu Hong Long – Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Di Linh district, said that when he received the information about an agricultural company meeting USDA standards, he was really “skeptical.” However, after personally coming to survey the location and hearing Mr. Nguyen Thai Nam along with his colleagues share the procedure and the process to achieve the above results, he was completely convinced.
“The whole district has over 45,000 hectares of coffee with a total annual output of about 145,000 tons and about 95% of local coffee is for export, but the area of certified organic coffee is still quite limited and modest. . The model of organic coffee on Brah Yang mountain is a new model, has a large area and has met the strict standards of USDA, which is a great advantage. In the coming time, we will work with this company to have a direction to replicate the model, build attractions, and disseminate experiences to people,” said Mr. Long.
