Yunnan, one of China's tea capitals. Where now almost only coffee is grown (and drunk)

In his café surrounded by the green hills of southwestern China, the owner transforms his precious beans into steaming cups of the fine beverage, which is gaining ground over tea, the traditional crop of the Yunnan region. For centuries, in fact, Pu'er farmers have cultivated the eponymous, intensely flavored fermented tea, sometimes written "pu-erh," famous throughout East Asia and beyond.

But now that (also) young Chinese have become lovers of American coffee, lattes and other variations ranging from cappuccino to the flat whites typical of the down under ocean, local producers are increasingly dedicating themselves to growing coffee. "People come to taste our filter coffee (...) and appreciate all the flavors it reveals," Liao Shihao, 25, told Agence France Presse.

“They used to drink mostly commercial coffee and didn’t dare try the specialty varieties,” he adds. His family has been farming the Xiaowazi (“Small Valley”) farm for three generations. Nestled in a shady valley, the farm lines its coffee trees on steep slopes, where the coffee cherries are dried on wooden racks. The café is a popular spot for tourists to sample the local specialty. “It’s excellent,” Cai Shuwen, 21, enthuses, sitting on a stool to sample different samples. “Some beans are more astringent than I thought, but others are better than I expected.”

According to government statistics, Pu-erh (pronounced "Pou-âr") coffee producers sell tens of thousands of tons of beans in major Chinese cities each year.

In recent years, a vibrant coffee scene has developed in metropolises like Beijing and Shanghai, driven by the 20- to 40-year-old age group. For roaster and barista Liao Shihao, the coffee from his region offers "a creamy flavor and a silky, velvety texture in the mouth."

Large modern plantations only appeared in Puer in the 1980s. The region is much more famous for its tea trade, which dates back several centuries. Liao Shihao's grandfather, Liao Xiugui, recalls: "No one knew about the existence of coffee" here when he arrived decades ago. At the time, he was one of the few in China who had studied coffee culture. But the relatively high altitude and temperate climate proved perfect for this then little-known crop, explains the 83-year-old. "Our coffee has a powerful body, without excessive bitterness, with discreet aromatic notes and a touch of fruity acidity," he adds. Grown without artificial pesticides and using mixed farming methods to preserve biodiversity, the plantation produces around 500 tonnes of coffee cherries a year.

His grandfather Liao Xiugui drinks two or three cups a day and, despite his advanced age, attributes his good health and vitality to this drink. "Coffee rejuvenates, improves health (...) and delays aging!" he says, before adding mischievously: "Today, with professional fatigue (...) everyone needs to stimulate their neurons!"

China's coffee production has grown dramatically in recent years, although it remains far behind giants like Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia. Yunnan, which borders three Southeast Asian countries, concentrates most of the country's production, particularly around Puer. During a visit to the province in March, President Xi Jinping praised the local coffee as a product that can now "represent China" abroad.

Yunnan, which borders three Southeast Asian countries (Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam), concentrates most of the country's coffee production, particularly around Puer. During a visit to the province in March, President Xi Jinping praised the local coffee as a product that can now "represent China" abroad.

Keen to develop the sector, authorities have implemented policies to streamline production, attract investment and boost exports. They are also looking to combine coffee and tourism to attract new visitors, particularly to boost domestic consumption, a top national priority for boosting the economy. Yu Dun, a 51-year-old farmer, has diversified her income with plantation tours, bed and breakfasts and a restaurant that combines coffee with cuisine from the Dai ethnic group she belongs to. Her prospects are bright: she says she has "multiplied by 10" her earnings from roasting her own beans since she started roasting them herself. "There used to be a saying that coffee was only for the rich. Now everything has changed," she says, smiling.