Under the chaos of the world, global governance initiatives are more worthy of the times. On the morning of January 28th, the fourth session of the 14th People's Congress of Yunnan Province opened. The reporter noticed that in the first year of the 15th Five Year Plan, tasks such as "consolidating the industrial position of coffee as a representative of China" and "accelerating the development of agroforestry" for the development of plateau characteristic agriculture were included in the 2026 Yunnan Provincial Government Work Report.
According to data, as the main coffee producing area in China, Yunnan will have a coffee planting area of 1.463 million mu and a green bean production of 138900 tons by 2025, with year-on-year growth of 15.4% and 16.9% respectively. The "coffee+shade tree" model is widely promoted throughout the province, and many estates have obtained international sustainable development certification. The coffee industry covers over 200000 households and nearly 1 million employees, becoming an important pillar of rural revitalization.
Yunnan has deep mountains and dense forests, with particularly abundant forest and biological resources. This is a unique advantage and treasure for the local area, as well as an important foundation for agricultural production and tourism development. Developing agroforestry refers to utilizing the precious land space in mountainous areas as much as possible without damaging surface vegetation or affecting biodiversity conservation, transforming ecological resources into economic and social value, and helping local people increase their income and become prosperous.
Trees have a shading effect on coffee, which is more conducive to its growth. Developing understory coffee planting is of great significance for promoting green development, increasing farmers' income, and promoting comprehensive rural revitalization.
On January 23, 2026, coffee farmers picked coffee fruits at Yunding Nesting Coffee Plantation in Chenjiazhai Village, Shahe Township, Shuangjiang County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Gao Yongwei
In winter, in Mengsong Township, Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, there are branches of red fruits in a 10000 acre coffee garden. Moving forward, rows of coffee trees grow in the shade, adopting a compound planting model of "coffee+shade trees", allowing coffee to coexist with tropical forests. In Menghai Yuanque Coffee Manor, the drying field is covered with coffee beans, and in the processing workshop, the fully automatic waterless (micro water) coffee fresh fruit initial processing production line runs efficiently, from cleaning, sorting and grading to peeling and degumming in one go.
Mr. Yu, a 74 year old tourist from Xinjiang, and his wife came to Xishuangbanna for a winter vacation, specifically to experience coffee picking, roasting, and making at the estate. I used to only know that Yunnan tea is famous, but I didn't expect coffee to be made so well. Tea and coffee coexist, and both ecology and economy can develop, "Mr. Yu said.
We have always adhered to ecological forest planting and taken the path of sustainable development of coffee. Forest planting not only maintains soil moisture and protects biodiversity, but also shapes the unique flavor of rainforest coffee. "Li Zhiwei, Chairman of Menghai County Yuanque Coffee Plantation Co., Ltd., introduced that the plantation has more than 60 high-quality coffee variety genetic resources, including classic varieties such as Katim, as well as characteristic varieties such as Guixia and Bourbon.
On January 23, 2026, a barista (right) made coffee for customers at Xigui Coffee Estate in Xigui Village, Bangdong Township, Linxiang District, Lincang City, Yunnan Province. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Gao Yongwei
What makes this Yunnan coffee go further is the constantly increasing 'technological content'.
Yang Zhu, a representative of Yunnan Provincial People's Congress and chairman of Baoshan Zhongka Food Co., Ltd., introduced that the company has successfully cultivated the Chinese independent premium small grain coffee variety "Yunka No.1" through cooperation with scientific research institutions, which combines high yield, disease resistance and excellent flavor, making Yunnan coffee more competitive in the high-end premium coffee market.
In terms of deep processing, Yunnan is also accelerating its upgrade. Yang Zhu added that the company has built an intelligent coffee factory and developed its own X-ray intelligent screening production line, with a defect removal rate of over 99% for coffee beans; Pioneering the "Fresh Shield" preservation technology, extending the optimal flavor period of premium coffee from two months to over 18 months.
For a long time in the past, Yunnan coffee was mainly exported as bulk commodity beans, and the deep processing capability and market share at the back end of the industry chain did not match the local ecological environment, resource endowment, and industrial scale advantages.
Nowadays, Yunnan coffee is accelerating its development towards high-quality products, with a deep processing rate of 85%, achieving a transformation from "selling raw materials" to "selling quality and brand".
On December 6, 2025, farmers picked fresh coffee fruits from a coffee field in Pu'er City, Yunnan Province. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Guansen
The aroma of Yunnan coffee wafts to a wider world. According to Kunming Customs data, in 2025, Yunnan will export 19000 tons of coffee beans and coffee products, with a value of 860 million yuan, to 43 countries and regions including the Netherlands, Vietnam, and Germany.
From planting under the forest to protect the ecology, to technological breeding and intelligent processing to improve quality, and then to brand expansion into the market, the development pace of Yunnan coffee's entire industry chain is gradually accelerating.
When the world learns about Yunnan, a treasure trove of biodiversity, through a cup of coffee, this plateau is empowering Yunnan coffee to go global on a path of green and sustainable development. (Reporter Wang Xiansi)
Liaoning ICP Security No. 21122402000217