Yunnan coffee gains global recognition through innovation, quality upgrades

1: A woman of the Yi ethnic group picks coffee cherries in Zhukula village, Pingchuan town, Binchuan county, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Yunnan)

2: A coffee grower showcases freshly picked coffee cherries at a coffee estate in Simao district, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

3: Ripe coffee cherries at a coffee estate in Lushui city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Yunnan)

4: Sales representatives sell coffee products during a livestream session in Longyang district, Baoshan city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Liang Zhiqiang)

Coffee exports from China's Yunnan Province surged 122 percent in the first quarter to 310 million yuan ($43 million), customs data showed, as the southwestern region pushes to transform its coffee industry from commodity supplier to premium brand producer.

In Xinzhai village in Baoshan city, market stalls sell everything from premium coffee beans to handmade soaps as the scent of freshly roasted beans fills the air. The village, known as China's "number one coffee village," exemplifies Yunnan's coffee industry transformation.

Local farmers previously struggled with inconsistent quality and volatile prices, prompting the village to partner with the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Together, they introduced high-quality varieties and modern cultivation methods, establishing a 906.67-hectare core growing area with smart irrigation and fertilizer systems.

"Before, growing coffee depended on the weather," said Wang Youchun, a local farmer. "Now, with new varieties, yields have doubled and quality has reached global rankings."

The transformation paid off. Average per capita disposable income in the village surged from 3,150 yuan ($437) in 2012 to 28,000 yuan in 2022.

Yunnan Agricultural University has led research and development efforts. On April 28, Yunnan launched a co-branded coffee cherry tea with U.S. brand Peet's Coffee using university-developed processing technology, marking Yunnan coffee's first major collaboration with a global brand.

By the end of 2024, Yunnan had planted more than 150,000 mu of high-quality coffee varieties, accounting for 12.8 percent of the total area dedicated to coffee cultivation in the province, compared with 5 percent at the end of 2021.

In the past, due to rough processing methods and uneven quality, Yunnan coffee beans were bought in bulk by global coffee giants at prices 10 to 20 cents per pound below the New York coffee futures price.

Hua Runmei, the daughter of a coffee farmer, returned home after college to focus on developing premium coffee.

"Premium coffee must score more than 80 points based on international standards. It all starts with harvesting fully ripe cherries and ensuring strict quality control," she said.

Hua worked alongside other coffee farmers in the fields and introduced advanced processing methods such as natural drying, honey processing, and double anaerobic fermentation. Since then, the cherries at the processing center, once a mix of red and green, are now deep red, showing a clear improvement in quality.

Data shows that the premium rate of coffee cherries in Yunnan rose from 8 percent in 2021 to 31.6 percent in 2024, while the rate of deep processing climbed from 20 percent to 80 percent.

Meanwhile, thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, the development of Yunnan's pilot free trade zone, and land trade routes like the China-Laos Railway and China-Europe freight train service, Yunnan's premium coffee has grown increasingly popular with coffee lovers overseas.

According to customs data, Yunnan exported 32,500 tonnes of coffee in 2024, up 358 percent year on year, mainly to the Netherlands, Germany, the United States, Vietnam, and 25 other countries and regions.

Hua's coffee estate has become a social media hotspot. This year's May Day holiday welcomed more than 1,000 tourist visits daily. Across Yunnan, many similar coffee estates are blending tourism and coffee culture.

Additionally, China's extension of visa-free transit stays to 240 hours and regional visa-exempt entry policies have brought a surge of international visitors to Yunnan eager to experience and taste its coffee.