Vietnam Robusta coffee grades explained for green coffee buyers

Where Vietnamese Robusta comes from

Vietnam is the world's largest Robusta producer. Most of it is grown in the Central Highlands, in provinces such as Dak Lak, Lam Dong (which now includes the former Dak Nong province) and Gia Lai, and harvested from roughly October to January.

Common export grades

Contracts usually describe Vietnamese Robusta by grade, screen size and defect limits. Typical specifications look like this, but always write the exact values in your contract:

• Grade 1, screen 18 or 16: around 2% black and broken beans, 0.5% foreign matter, 12.5% moisture, 90% above the screen size
• Grade 2, screen 13: around 5% black and broken beans, 1% foreign matter, 13% moisture, 90% above screen 13
• Wet-polished: beans polished to remove the silver skin, for a cleaner appearance
• Fine Robusta: selectively picked, washed or honey processed, sold on cup quality

How prices are set

Commercial Robusta is usually priced as a differential to the ICE Robusta futures contract in London, plus or minus a premium that depends on grade, origin and timing. Fine Robusta is often sold at fixed prices based on cup score.

What to check before shipment

• Moisture with a calibrated meter
• Screen analysis and defect count against the contract
• Smell and visual check for mould, fermentation and foreign matter
• Cup test against the approved sample when quality matters
• Bags, liners and container condition

Traceability and EU rules

Buyers placing coffee on the EU market need deforestation due-diligence information, including the geolocation of farms. Ask suppliers early whether they can provide traceability data, because it is much harder to add after the coffee has been bought from collectors.