According to the Kayin State Agriculture Department, up to 1,000 acres of Robusta coffee are planned to be grown in Kayin State during the 2024-25 Financial Year, particularly in areas suitable for lowland coffee varieties.
Lowland coffee is mainly cultivated in Thandaunggyi and Kyainseikgyi townships, where over 240 acres have already been planted. The report indicates that coffee is primarily grown in shade areas, as coffee plants need to be grown alongside shade trees.
Additionally, the Kayin State Agriculture Department provides coffee seedlings to farmers free of charge and offers training in agricultural techniques. Coffee is typically planted during the monsoon season, from May to August, with flowers blooming in three years and fruiting in four years. As a perennial crop, coffee can produce beans for up to thirty years.
There is a coffee powder manufacturing factory in Thandaunggyi Township, and the coffee produced there is both consumed domestically and exported to Thailand. — ASH/TMT
