TITLE:
A Comparison between the Two Biggest Coffee Exporters: Are Government Policies for Coffee Production in Brazil and Vietnam Supporting Independent Coffee Farms?
AUTHORS:
Lucia Catalina Burtnik Urueta, Tu Nhu Lam
KEYWORDS:
Brazil, Vietnam, Coffee, Subsidies, Independent Farmers
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.13 No.11,
November
17,
2025
ABSTRACT: Coffee production by independent farmers is being challenged by climate change, price fluctuations and pressures from trans-national corporations. Recognizing this, governments of coffee producing countries have implemented subsidies and other measures, to alleviate the pressure, but these can have consequences beyond economics. To explore this, we analyzed the role of subsidies on the economic viability of independent coffee farms in Vietnam and Brazil using a PESTLE analysis. This framework examines the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental areas that will influence the effectiveness of these subsidies. The research used academic sources, government publications, and industry reports. The results suggest that, while supportive measures such as subsidies and credit access can help stabilize independent farmers’ income, producers can grow reliant on subsidies rather than actively responding to signals from the market or adopting natural resource management systems. These findings add to the growing evidence that measures aimed to support producers need to recognise the effect in long-term motivations of independent coffee producers to ensure the long-term sustainability of their livelihoods. While these results provide a comprehensive macro-level analysis, future research should explore the implications of policy support at individual level.