Myanmar Coffee: From Opium Fields to Specialty Farms

Ten years ago, almost no coffee buyer outside Asia could have named a Myanmar coffee farm. Then, in April 2016, a small delegation of Burmese producers brought their first specialty lots to the big US coffee trade show in Atlanta. Myanmar coffee had been grown since the late 19th century, but most of it was hand-pulped in villages and sold cheaply across the border. Within a few seasons, carefully processed natural Arabicas from Shan State and Mandalay Region were scoring above 85 points and turning heads.

This is the story of that turnaround, including the part where coffee became a deliberate alternative to opium poppy, and an honest look at where things stand now.

Key takeaways

• Coffee has been grown in Myanmar (Burma) since around 1885.
• The main specialty regions are Ywangan in southern Shan State and Pyin Oo Lwin in Mandalay Region, at roughly 1,000 to 1,500 m.
• A USAID-funded project with Winrock International and the Coffee Quality Institute helped launch the first specialty exports in 2016.
• UNODC has supported farmers in southern Shan State in switching from opium poppy to coffee since 2014.
• Since the 2021 military takeover, conflict and economic disruption have made the sector fragile.

In this article

1. Where coffee grows in Myanmar
2. How Myanmar coffee went specialty: a timeline
3. From opium poppy to coffee
4. What does Myanmar coffee taste like?
5. Myanmar coffee today
6. FAQ

Where coffee grows in Myanmar

Myanmar sits at the northern edge of the coffee belt, sharing borders and climate with China’s Yunnan province, Laos and Thailand. Its specialty Arabica comes mainly from two highland areas.

Farms sit at roughly 1,000 to 1,500 meters. Varieties include Catuai, Catimor, SL28, SL34, S795 and even some Gesha. The harvest runs from late November to March, through the dry winter, with exports usually shipped between April and October.

Because water is scarce in many villages, natural processing, where whole cherries dry in the sun, is the most common method. Some estates also produce fully washed and honey coffees. Our guide to coffee processing methods explains how each affects flavor.

How Myanmar coffee went specialty: a timeline

The effect on farmers was striking. Winrock reported that its project assisted about 6,000 farmers and that Myanmar coffee was fetching two to three times its previous prices. Specialty importer Algrano cites local cherry prices rising from 300 kyat per viss (a local unit of about 1.63 kg) in 2014 to 3,700 kyat per viss in 2023, though inflation in Myanmar has been severe over that period, so the real gain is smaller than the headline number.

From opium poppy to coffee

Southern Shan State has long been at the center of Myanmar’s opium economy. According to UNODC, it accounted for about 90 percent of the country’s poppy cultivation when the government requested help with alternative development in 2012. The idea was simple to state and hard to execute: give farmers a legal crop that pays enough to make poppy unattractive.

Coffee fit the hills and the climate. UNODC-backed farmers planted their first coffee in 2014, and the Green Gold cooperative formed the following year. By 2018, it had 968 members, and 652 land tenure certificates covered 515 hectares of coffee. Land titles mattered as much as seedlings: a farmer who owns the land can wait the three or more years a coffee tree needs before its first real harvest.

An honest caveat

Coffee did not end opium in Shan State. After the 2021 military takeover, economic and security disruption pushed many farmers back toward poppy. In December 2023, UNODC reported that Myanmar had overtaken Afghanistan as the world’s largest opium producer, after the Taliban’s ban cut Afghan cultivation by about 95 percent. Coffee changed lives in specific villages; it is not a fairy tale with a tidy ending.

What does Myanmar coffee taste like?

Good Myanmar naturals surprise people who expect the earthy profile of some neighboring Asian origins. Former Coffee Quality Institute staff have compared the cleanest Myanmar naturals to those of Panama. In the cup, expect:

• Naturals: ripe red fruit, berry, sweet and winey notes, with a fuller body
• Washed lots: cleaner and brighter, with citrus, stone fruit and tea-like clarity
• Honey lots: somewhere in between, with caramel sweetness

Lower-grade commercial coffee from the same country, dried and sorted carelessly, tastes very different: flat, fermented or woody. The gap between the two is exactly what the training projects set out to close.

How to brew it

Fruity natural Asian coffees shine as pour-over or AeroPress, where their sweetness and fruit come through. A medium roast and a slightly lower brew temperature help keep ferment-like notes in check. If you can find a Myanmar natural, compare it side by side with a Yunnan coffee; our article on Yunnan Chinese coffee covers its northern neighbor.

Myanmar coffee today

Specialty coffee from Myanmar is still available through a handful of importers, and producer groups continue to export despite conflict, currency controls and logistical hurdles. If you buy it, look for traceable lots naming the region, cooperative or estate, and the process.

Similar coffees you can try now

We do not currently sell a Myanmar single origin, but you can explore the flavors of Asia-Pacific highland coffees with our range. Asian Plateau Blend brings together coffees of Southeast Asia for a heavy body, herbal notes and a strong aroma. Papua New Guinea from the Chimbu highlands is sweet and smooth, with caramel, honey and fruit. For a deeper, syrupy cup, Bali Blue from Kintamani offers dark chocolate, molasses and brown sugar. Everything is roasted 1 to 5 days before delivery. Browse all our single origins.

Myanmar coffee FAQ

Does Myanmar produce good coffee?

Yes. Its best lots regularly score in the specialty range; at the 2016 national competition, 56 of 60 samples scored above 80 points. Quality varies widely, so look for traceable specialty lots.

Where is coffee grown in Myanmar?

Mainly in southern Shan State around Ywangan, and in Mandalay Region around Pyin Oo Lwin, at about 1,000 to 1,500 meters.

Is Myanmar coffee Arabica or Robusta?

Both are grown, but the specialty coffee that reaches international buyers is Arabica, including Catuai, Catimor, SL28 and SL34.

Did coffee replace opium in Myanmar?

For some farmers, yes. UNODC programs have helped Shan State villages switch to coffee since 2014, but national opium cultivation rose again after 2021.

Is Burma coffee the same as Myanmar coffee?

Yes. Burma and Myanmar are two names for the same country; you will see both on coffee labels.

Sources

1. Coffee from Myanmar, Algrano
2. Something Good Is Brewing in Burma, Winrock International
3. Andrew Hetzel, First Myanmar Coffees Coming to SCAA Atlanta, Coffee Strategies, 2016
4. Finland and Germany support UNODC programme that helps Myanmar farmers shift from opium production to coffee cultivation, UNODC, 2018
5. Myanmar overtakes Afghanistan as top opium producer, NBC News, 2023

Facts checked in October 2026.

Keep reading: Yunnan Chinese coffee · The coffee belt · Shop single origins