Bandarban’s Coffee Farmers: The Untold Domestic Supply Chain

Bangladesh’s coffee story begins long before the beans reach a café in Dhaka. In Bandarban, farmers grow, harvest, process, and sell coffee through a small but developing domestic supply chain one that is still largely invisible to most consumers.

From Hill Farms to Market

Coffee cultivation is concentrated mainly in Bandarban, particularly in areas such as Ruma and Thanchi. Farmers grow Arabica and Robusta, with Arabica considered especially suitable for the higher, cooler hill areas [1][2].

Coffee trees usually flower around May and June, while harvesting takes place mainly in January and February. The cherries must then be processed before the beans can be sold or consumed [3].

The Farmer’s First Challenge

Many farmers work on a small scale. They may begin with a limited number of saplings and gradually expand as the trees mature. One Bandarban farmer, Fungkhal Bawm, planted 25 saplings and later sold his first harvest to North End Coffee Roasters [4].

This gradual growth means farmers often need several years before receiving meaningful returns. They also require support with pruning, harvesting, drying, pest management, and quality control.

Collection Begins Locally

After harvesting, coffee cherries are collected from individual farms. Some local entrepreneurs purchase directly from growers, while collection centres gather beans from several upazilas.

The Daily Star reported that HarvestHill.bd collects coffee from farmers in Ruma and Thanchi and sells the beans through a Facebook page [1]. This shows how social media is becoming part of the supply chain, connecting remote producers with urban buyers.

Processing Adds Value

Fresh coffee cherries cannot simply be sold as finished coffee. They must be pulped, dried, and processed to remove the outer layers before the beans can be roasted.

A government-supported coffee and cashew processing centre at the Bandarban Horticulture Centre now provides processing facilities and creates employment for local men and women [5]. Entrepreneurs have also established collection and storage centres in different upazilas as production increases [5].

The Role of Buyers

North End Coffee Roasters has played a major role in connecting Bandarban farmers with the national market. It has reportedly bought almost all domestically grown coffee, with about 90% of Bangladesh’s coffee production coming from Bandarban [4].

Other wholesalers and businesses also contact farmers directly. Some buyers provide advance payments, while others purchase coffee in bulk from farms or collection points [5].

From Bandarban to Dhaka

Once processed, the beans move through traders, wholesalers, roasters, and cafés. They may eventually appear as:

- Locally roasted whole beans.

- Single-origin coffee.

- Pour-over offerings.

- Café espresso blends.

- Online coffee products.

- Gifts and specialty agricultural products.

However, the supply chain remains small. Bangladesh’s total domestic coffee production is still estimated at around 25 tonnes annually, less than 5% of national demand [3]. Imported coffee therefore continues to dominate the market.

What Farmers Still Need

The biggest weaknesses are limited processing capacity, inadequate roads and infrastructure, insufficient market facilities, and a shortage of technical support [6]. Farmers have received pulping, drying, and parchment-removing machines, but many say the available support is still below actual need [6].

Better infrastructure could reduce losses and improve quality. Stronger links between farmers, processors, roasters, and cafés could also help producers receive more stable prices.

Why This Supply Chain Matters

Bandarban coffee is not yet a mass-market product. It is a developing premium niche built on small farms, local collectors, public agricultural projects, private buyers, roasters, and cafés.

Its future will depend on whether the supply chain becomes more organised and inclusive. If farmers receive training, reliable buyers, appropriate processing support, and fair prices, Bandarban can become more than the source of a compelling coffee story it can become the foundation of a sustainable Bangladeshi coffee industry.

Citations:

[1] Coffee cultivation shows promise in Ctg Hill Tracts https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/news/coffee-cultivation-shows-promise-ctg-hill-tracts-3191361

[2] Coffee cultivation rises in the hills https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/coffee-cultivation-rises-hills-380062

[3] From hills to plains, coffee finds new ground among Bangladesh's ... https://www.tbsnews.net/features/tales-from-the-edge/hills-plains-coffee-finds-new-ground-among-bangladeshs-farmers-1413906

[4] World-class coffee from Bangladesh? That is a possibility https://www.dhakatribune.com/business/commerce/235988/world-class-coffee-from-bangladesh-that-is-a

[5] Coffee, cashew cultivation helping Bandarban farmers to line ... https://unb.com.bd/category/Special/coffee-cashew-cultivation-helping-bandarban-farmers-to-line-their-pockets/154603

[6] Bandarban sees coffee boom, infrastructure hurdles loom https://dailyasianage.com/news/346342/bandarban-sees-coffee-boom-infrastructure-hurdles-loom

[7] Jum to Java: Cashew and coffee revamp CHT farming https://www.jagonews24.com/en/business/news/84182

[8] Coffee, cashew cultivation helping Bandarban farmers boost ... https://en.bd-pratidin.com/printnews/31399

[9] Bangladesh plans large-scale commercial coffee production as ... https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/economy/bangladesh-plans-large-scale-commercial-coffee-production-as-cultivation-gains-traction-1613902094

[10] Bandarban sees coffee boom, infrastructure hurdles loom https://www.observerbd.com/news/560005

[11] Coffee Zone Bangladesh's Post - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/posts/coffee-zone-bangladesh_at-coffee-zone-bangladesh-we-have-recently-activity-7443003732595859456-LXu3

[12] Cultivating a Coffee Culture in Bangladesh https://helenkellerintl.org/our-stories/cultivating-a-coffee-culture-in-bangladesh/

[13] Joseph P Falcone | LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-paul-falcone-jr

[14] Brewing Future: How Coffee Culture In Bangladesh Drives the ... https://akijconsulting.com/brewing-future-how-coffee-culture-in-bangladesh-drives-the-economy/

[15] Govt takes steps to utilize potential of almond, coffee https://www.bssnews.net/news/323