Coffee Production Status and Potential of Organic Arabica Coffee in Thailand*

Coffee is a major income earner for Thailand. Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) in grown mainly the south where 80,000 t are produced annually. Only 500 t of arabica coffee (C. arabica) are produced in the north. Present cultivation techniques are focused on producing high yields. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are commonly applied to the coffee plantations. Thailand exports 60,000 t of robusta coffee, while 20,000 t are used for soluble, roasted, ground, and canned coffee in the domestic market. Arabica coffee is mainly used for roasted and ground coffee in Thailand. Arabica coffee is mainly grown in the highlands at approx. 800 m asl. It is wet processed to give high quality green bean. The Catimor cultivar is recommended as it is rust resistant. Growing arabica coffee provides cash income for hill-tribe farmers and reduces the problem of traditional slash-and-burn shifting agriculture. Both shaded and full sun coffees are grown. With the policy of natural resource conservation and the limitation of land area, the hill-tribe farmers have to grow coffee to sustain natural resources on the highlands in the long term