BANDAR LAMPUNG: Trading activities in major robusta producer Vietnam remained tepid at a time when erratic weather slowed down the bean ripening process in the country’s Central Highlands, while discounts stayed unchanged in Indonesia at the end of harvest season.

Farmers in the Central Highlands, Vietnam’s largest coffee-growing area, sold coffee at 39,900-42,000 dong ($1.76-$1.85) per kg, little changed from 39,900-41,500 dong range a week ago.

“It’s not sunny enough in the Central Highlands recently, making beans ripe slower than expected,” said a trader based in the coffee belt.

“Due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases and anti-virus measurements, there has been a huge shortage of cherry pickers. Their wages therefore have also been pushed up at least one-and-a-half times higher than the previous crop season,” the trader added.