The 26th International Conference on Coffee Science opened in Yunnan on November 11 and will last to November 19. Hundreds of scientists and experts from the U.S.A, France, Germany, the U.K, and Switzerland, gather in Kunming, capital city of the province to talk about the potential of coffee in Yunnan and China. They also discuss multiple topics such as coffee and health.
Known as the Olympics of the coffee industry, the International Conference on Coffee Science is held every other year and it is the only international conference with such great authority and influence in the coffee field. The conference aims to promote Yunnan coffee, popularize scientific knowledge on coffee, highlight coffee culture, increase the competitiveness of Chinese coffee and strengthen its voice in the international market.
As China’s largest coffee producer, Yunnan hopes to have more say in in the international coffee market. The planting area of Yunnan coffee is 1.77 million Chinese mu (118,000 hectares) with an output of 139,000 tons, thus accounting for 99% of all Chinese coffee. Yunnan’s characteristic plateau coffee has become the third biggest export product in Yunnan.
The ecological environment and natural conditions of Yunnan are particularly favorable to coffee production. Much of the land is at high elevation and perfect for growing coffee. After multiple tests and comparisons, experts from SCAA(Specialty Coffee Association of America) verified that the quality of Yunnan coffee beans is high and is comparable with beans grown in high altitude parts of Central America.