Instant morning pick-me-ups could soon become rarer and more expensive as coffee farmers in Vietnam struggle with the effects of rising global temperatures. Researchers have projected a 20% drop in robusta bean supply this year, per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
What's happening?
Vietnam is known as a coffee-producing powerhouse, with the International Coffee Organization noting it exported more than 28 million bags — each weighing 60 kilograms (over 132 pounds) — across 2021-22, putting it second behind Brazil.
However, as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation explains, that status could be in jeopardy, as land amenable to growing robusta coffee could be cut in half by 2050. The robusta bean, typically used for instant blends, has already been impacted by a yield-lowering drought.
Why is this concerning?
Asia Society Policy Institute Research associate Genevieve Donnellon-May explained to the broadcaster that robusta bean is an important part of a daily ritual for people worldwide. It also supports farmers in Vietnam significantly, as the demand is so high that it accounts for 3% of the country's gross domestic product.
"[This] is bad news, if you're like me, and you're surviving on instant coffee to get through your work … [it's] a bit of a doom-and-gloom scenario," Donnellon-May said. "Vietnam is very important in the coffee industry, particularly for instant coffee."
Coffee isn't the only popular staple impacted by warmer global temperatures and the resulting supercharged extreme weather, with olive oil and rice growers also grappling with how to keep operations afloat as prices for consumers soar.
What's being done about this?
Helena Coffee co-founder and Chief Executive Officer An Nguyen, whose business exported more than 1,100 tons of coffee in 2023, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that even though climate fears should be taken seriously, there are mitigation solutions.
"For our coffee farmer cooperative, we are trying to … protect the coffee plant and improve soil health," Nguyen said, explaining that artificial intelligence has assisted with resource conservation decision-making, including for water.
The coffee export and processing company also focuses on education for its growers as they acclimate to the AI technology, with Nguyen telling the broadcaster that his business is also aiming to replace old coffee trees through a new planting initiative.
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