By Vijian Paramasivam
PHNOM PENH, Sept 4 (Bernama) -- Cambodia’s US$200 million (RM800 million) coffee industry faces a critical test as intensifying El Niño conditions threaten yields and farmers’ livelihoods.
In response, the Cambodian Coffee Association has urged small-scale farmers to improve water management and irrigation systems to protect their crops and strengthen resilience to extreme weather.
Resource-constrained growers are particularly vulnerable as intense heat and unpredictable weather expose their climate-sensitive coffee plants to heat and water stress.
“El Niño will affect all farmers, but its impact will depend on how well they are prepared to cope with the weather conditions. They need adequate water resources and irrigation systems, as well as biostimulants to help prevent heat stress on their crops,” association president Piseth Duk told Bernama.
About 600 farmers toil under the heat to produce around 1,500 metric tonnes of coffee beans, much of which is consumed by the country’s burgeoning domestic market.
About 90 per cent of local coffee farmers grow Robusta, with Arabica accounting for the remainder, according to the association.
The World Meteorological Organisation said on Thursday there was a nearly 100 per cent likelihood that El Niño would persist through February 2027, bringing heightened risks of floods, drought and extreme heat.
Cambodia’s government expects El Niño to strengthen from July and peak in November, worsening heat and water stress on coffee plants.
Piseth, who farms coffee in Mondulkiri province, said changing weather patterns had affected his crops since 2023, bringing severe drought and prolonged rainfall.
“In 2026, the strong El Niño brought heatwaves that stressed our crops and worsened drought conditions. About 30 per cent of my newly planted coffee trees died,” he said.
He said dry conditions had also triggered infestations of green scale and mealybugs, threatening trees and yields.
Mondulkiri has emerged as a key coffee-producing area due to its high altitude and favourable climate.
“Climate change is unavoidable, but if we can mitigate its impact by managing our farms properly, yields can even increase during El Niño.
“It is about how we manage our resources and protect the coffee plants,” Pida Coffee Farm owner and agri-entrepreneur Thida Phay told Bernama.
Annual production of about 1,500 tonnes remains far below estimated domestic demand of 20,000 tonnes, underscoring the industry’s growth potential.
However, realising this potential will require addressing the technical and financial constraints facing farmers as they contend with rising temperatures and volatile weather.
“They lack the necessary know-how, technical skills, post-production management and financial skills.
“Our association is now conducting training to teach farmers how to manage their farms. The two most important things are water resources and irrigation,” Piseth said.
He said well-managed farms could produce up to four tonnes of coffee per hectare, double the average yield of about two tonnes.
-- NNN-BERNAMA
VIJ KHL SKKR