How Vietnam became a Leading Coffee Exporter

After the end of the war in 1975, Vietnam was for a long time only supported by socialist states such as the German Democratic Republic (GDR). They provided economic aid and helped to rebuild the devastated country. In 1980, socialist East Germany and Vietnam signed an agreement on the production of coffee and its delivery to the GDR. Ten thousand hectares of coffee plantations were to be created. Vietnam undertook to develop the coffee-growing areas and provide workers. The GDR supplied equipment, materials and expertise. During this time, more than 30 experts from the GDR worked in Vietnam, mostly for one to two years. At the same time, numerous Vietnamese experts were trained in the GDR.

By 1990, Vietnam had delivered almost 6,000 tons of coffee to the GDR. But with the reunification of Germany, there were suddenly no more customers. But the success story continued, because today Vietnam is the second largest coffee producer in the world after Brazil. In 2024 alone, the country exported more than 1.3 million tons worth almost 5.5 billion US dollars. Instrumental for this was Siegfried Kaulfuß (born in January 1929). He was in charge of the GDR's coffee project in the Buôn Ma Thuột region, which became one of the greatest success stories of German-Vietnamese partnership and in international development cooperation. More in our interview with him.