Singapore-listed Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd has signed a joint venture with ED&F Man, an agricultural trader to establish what could be the largest coffee plantation in Myanmar at 3,700 acres. The venture calls for a $20 million investment over four years of which Yoma will hold an 85% stake. The partners state that the venture could create a new trend in coffee from Myanmar and the majority of the operation will focus on exports. In 2012 Myanmar produced 8,000 tons of coffee beans on 29,652 acres. In 2011 the country exported only 100 tons of coffee. Yoma is pushing to diversify its business and plans to see up to 50% of its income come from non-property businesses. Yoma signed an additional agreement with the Myanmar government to establish a dairy plant to provide milk for schoolchildren and has signed an agreement with Japanese company Kokubu & Co. Ltd to establish a cold storage and logistics business.
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