A new coffee trade center opened in Kunming on Oct 28, Xinhua.net reported. The coffee trade center is a joint initiative of the Yunnan Coffee Association, Yunnan Specialty Coffee Society and Yuntianhua Group Corporation. More than 30 of Yunnan’s local coffee companies joined the trade center’s opening ceremony.

In recent years, Yunnan’s coffee industry has developed so fast. The planting area of coffee beans in Yunnan has reached 106,666 hectares. Coffee production has increased from 30,000 tons to 10,000 tons, accounting for 99 percent of domestic output.

According to the Yunnan Coffee Association, Yunnan is entering a harvest season of coffee beans. The output of Yunnan coffee in this season is expected to reach 120,000 tons.

“Yuntianhua has participated in the construction of a Yunnan coffee trade center. Yuntianhua will use its advantage to help Yunnan expand its oversea markets,” said Liu Wei, vice-general manager of Yuntianhua. Yuntianhua Group Corporation is one of the biggest State-owned enterprises in Yunnan.

According to the Yunnan Coffee Association’s chairman, Xiong Xiangren, the establishment of a coffee trade center could largely protect farmers. If farmers could grow coffee beans according to Yunnan coffee production standards, the quality of Yunnan coffee will largely improve.

By Ge Jieru and edited by Michael Thai