VINAGRI News - As the harvest season ends and spring approaches, Vietnam’s Central Highlands are blanketed in shades of brown as farmers dry freshly harvested coffee beans under the sun, creating a striking seasonal landscape and reflecting the quiet joy and hope of coffee-growing communities.
Summary:
> The coffee drying season blankets Vietnam’s Central Highlands in distinctive brown hues.
> Farmers carefully dry coffee beans to preserve quality and flavor.
> The season reflects both hard labor and hope for better returns.
> Coffee from the highlands continues its journey to domestic and global markets.
Visiting the Central Highlands at this time of year, travelers not only experience the serene beauty of the forests as winter fades into spring, but also witness a captivating sight: the coffee drying season that seems to “cloak” the highlands in deep brown hues.
In the early mornings, while mist still drifts lazily along the mountain slopes, highland residents in Quảng Ngãi (formerly known as Kon Tum province) awaken to the rhythm of the coffee drying season. In front yards, on vacant plots along village roads, and even on recently harvested fields, dark brown coffee beans are spread evenly to bask in the sun.
These quiet “carpets” of coffee beans gently release their aroma, painting a breathtaking picture of the harvest season.
As the first rays of sunlight touch the land, the soft rustling sound of rakes turning coffee beans echoes through villages in Đăk Hà, Đăk Mar, Đăk Ui, and surrounding areas. Regions regarded as the coffee heartlands of Kon Tum appear to don a new coat - deep brown, glossy, and full of vitality.
Families gather in their yards: some turn the beans, others quickly heap them into small piles when clouds roll in, making the most of every moment of sunshine to dry the Central Highlands’ “brown gold.”
After harvesting, ripe red coffee cherries are processed, hulled, and dried. Though seemingly simple, the work demands patience and meticulous care. The beans must be turned several times a day and dried under sufficient sunlight to preserve their natural flavor. Under the dry seasonal sun, beads of sweat fall onto the drying yards, exchanged for quiet satisfaction reflected in the farmers’ eyes.
Lại Đức Dũng, a resident of Đăk Bình village in Đăk Ui commune, smiles gently as he steadily turns the beans. “This season, my family harvested more than 40 tons of fresh coffee cherries. Drying them ourselves and selling green beans brings a better price. The weather has been good this year - we’re all very happy,” he said.
To speed up the process, Mr. Dũng even rents neighboring fields, spreading the beans in thin layers so the sun can quickly dry the “bitter seeds,” preserving the rich flavor of the land.
The drying season atmosphere also extends to warehouses and processing facilities. Vast drying yards spanning thousands of square meters are neatly lined with rows of coffee beans, resembling long brown ribbons stretched under the sun. Tractors and tillers are repurposed as powerful tools to turn hundreds of tons of coffee, while workers monitor moisture levels and adjust drying thickness - all contributing to a scene of industrious activity.
From the highlands of Quảng Ngãi (Kon Tum), the story of the coffee drying season spreads across the Central Highlands. In Gia Lai, Đắk Lắk, and Lâm Đồng, sunlight similarly dries vast coffee yards. Sharing the same rhythm and aroma, coffee beans pass through the sweat of farmers before being transported from the mountains to domestic and international markets.
The coffee drying season is not merely a production stage - it is a season of joy and hope after a year of hard work in the fields. Under the year-end sun, coffee beans slowly dry, carrying with them stories of resilience and dedication, preparing for a new journey from village yards in the Central Highlands to the world beyond.
These stunning images of the Central Highlands during the coffee drying season were captured by Tuổi Trẻ Newspaper:
NPK/ Vinagri News (Tuoi Tre Newspaper)
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