Robusta coffee

Vietnam is the 2nd largest exporter of Robusta coffee in the world. Robusta coffee is mostly considered as a lower quality coffee, in comparison to Arabica. This is due to Robusta having a harsh flavour in comparison to the delicate flavours of Arabica, which has caused Robusta’s export price to be half that of Arabica. Although, Robusta still remains popular with roasters due to its caffeine content being higher than that of Arabica, it is used for cheaper blends, instant coffees, and is often mixed in small quantities with Arabica. Robusta coffee is a lot easier grown that Arabica, it requires a less specific temperature range for growth than Arabica, as well as being more resilient to external stresses. Almost 600,000 ha in the Central Highlands is dedicated to coffee crops, 95% of which is Robusta coffee. Coffee in the Central Highlands is predominantly grown in a monocropping system.