This province supplies about 98% of the country's coffee, mostly Catimor arabica grown in prefectures such as Pu'er, Baoshan and Dehong.
Yunnan supplies 98% of China's coffee. The main growing areas are Baoshan, Dehong and Menglian in Pu'er. Arabica dominates, with Catimor the varietal of choice, and most beans are commercial grade sold as green coffee. A specialty segment has grown since around 2009. One specialty exporter's microlots cup at Q83.5 to Q85.75 and are grown at roughly 1,300 to 1,400+ m, using full washing, low-oxygen dry fermentation and sun-drying. That altitude figure comes from one importer's lots, not a survey of the wider crop.
Field notes
- i
One specialty importer scores its Yunnan microlots between Q83.5 and Q85.75, in specialty-grade territory despite the region's commercial-grade reputation.
- ii
French missionaries planted the first coffee at Zhukula village in Binchuan, a case study says in 1904, and the planted area then grew from 17,200 ha in 2005 to 110,700 ha in 2017.
- iii
Natural-process Yunnan coffee reportedly sells at a 20-30% premium at home, while washed is the standard and Catimor by far the most planted variety.
In the cup, according to guides
- CitrusOften notedCitrus notes reported on specialty Yunnan lots by one importer.
- NuttyOften notedNutty notes reported on specialty Yunnan lots by one importer.
- AcidityMoreBright acidity is among tasting notes one importer lists for its specialty lots.
Varietals
Processing
Sources · 5 Every sentence here was checked against a source we read. Taste notes are what guides describe, not promises about your bag. Last revised 2026-11-11. Some details here are less settled than others.
- Coffee production in China · Wikipedia
- Yunnan Coffee Traders (company site) · Yunnan Coffee Traders
- History and development of coffee plantations in Yunnan Province, China: an assessment · University of British Columbia (student case study)
- China origin · Sucafina
- Exploring the Chinese coffee supply chain · Perfect Daily Grind