The main picking periods for example in Brazil are from May to
September, in Central America from October to March, in Africa from
October to April and in Asia from November to April. The yield of a
coffee tree fluctuates between 2.5 and 10.5 kgs of coffee cherries,
representing a quantity of 0.5 to 2 kgs of green beans (raw coffee). In
the case of machine picking (stripping), the fruits (mostly Robusta)
fall on cloths spread on the ground. Picking itself is however mostly
done manually. The so-called picking is more gentle but also slower.
The daily output of a picker is between 50 and 100 kgs of cherries,
representing approximately 10 to 20 kgs of raw coffee.
The picked coffee cherry can neither be consumed, nor can it be stored
for a longer time or be transported. Therefore, in a first processing
step within the country of origin, the coffee bean is rid from pulp,
fruit skin and slime, parchment and silver skin, and then cleaned and
dried.
The coffee is graded according to size, density and color before it is
packed in bags or as bulk good in containers and then shipped. The
coffee is then blended and roasted in the country of destination.
