VIENTIANE, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- A coffee festival was held in Laos from Friday to Sunday to celebrate International Coffee Day, which falls on next Tuesday, aiming to highlight a vital role that Lao coffee plays in the country's socio-economic development.

The event, which also aims to push Lao coffee into the international market, brought together key stakeholders from government, civil society, development partners and the private sector.

"Lao coffee has become an important export product, contributing significantly to our economy," Lao News Agency reported on Sunday, quoting Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Linkham Douangsavanh as saying at the event.

"We are proud to showcase our unique coffee heritage and its role in fostering green development," he said.

Lao coffee is produced on around 98,000 hectares of land, with an annual estimated output of 150,000 tons, mostly from southern provinces. More than 300,000 farmers earn income from the coffee industry, which exports 100,000 tons of beans yearly worth more than 100 million U.S. dollars, the report said.

The event featured over 40 exhibition booths presenting Lao coffee and coffee-related products, panel discussions, business matching, coffee cupping, barista demos and activities for children. Enditem

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