Gia Lai will have an AI coffee research and development institute project. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The People's Committee of Gia Lai Province has approved the investment policy and selected Vĩnh Hiệp Co, Ltd as the investor for the Gia Lai AI coffee research and development institute with a total capital of VNĐ326 billion (US$12.5 million).

The project will be developed in Đak Đoa commune on a site covering 1.57 million sq.m. The institute is envisioned as a research and technology development hub for the agricultural sector, focusing on coffee variety testing, seedling production and the transfer of technologies and technical expertise to businesses and farmers. 

A key feature of the project is the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to manage coffee-growing area data, forecast and monitor pests and diseases and develop a digital plantation management system to support coffee production.

Under the approved plan, the research center will evaluate 50–100 coffee varieties and breeding lines annually and produce 1–5 million coffee seedlings per year. Its laboratory facilities will be capable of analysing 20,000–40,000 samples annually, including soil, water, leaves, coffee beans, microbial samples, and product quality indicators.

For coffee processing research, the institute will operate a pilot processing facility with a capacity of 300–500 tonnes of raw materials annually for research purposes. It will also include roasting and product development facilities capable of processing 50–100 kilogrammes per day.

In addition to research and seedling production, the institute aims to provide technology transfer and training for 2,000–5,000 businesses and farmers each year through workshops, technical training programs, and field demonstrations.

Construction and equipment installation are scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2027, followed by trial operations in the third quarter of 2028, with commercial operations targeted for the fourth quarter of 2028.

The Gia Lai People's Committee has required the investor to comply fully with regulations governing investment, land use, construction, environmental protection, and other applicable laws, while implementing the project in accordance with the approved planning, scale, and schedule. — VNS