Picking, processing and transport
The main 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 kg of coffee cherries, representing a quantity of 0.5 to 2
kg 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,
however, is done manually. Manual picking is more gentle but also slower. The
daily output of a picker is between 50 and 100 kg of cherries, representing
approximately 10 – 20 kg of green coffee.
The quality of the coffee is
directly related to the plantation where it grows. The farmers, who plan
long-term, cultivate a product which is free from chemicals, pesticidesand which
does not pollute the environment. Thus, they take special care of the
plantation’s sustainability.
The plantation proprietors who provide us with
the green coffee take care of the local ecosystem. The ground is protected
against solar irradiation by grass and other plants, which grow among the coffee
trees. Big banana trees protect mountain slopes against erosion. Since many
plants cover most of the plantations, no machines can be used at all. This leads
to higher personnel costs especially during harvest, as the coffee cherries need
to be plucked individually by hand. This is why we pay a higher price for this
kind of coffee compared to the world market price quoted at the New York Stock
exchange.
Processing
The picked coffee cherry can neither be consumed, nor can
it be stored
for a long time or transported. Therefore, in a first processing
step
within the country of origin, the coffee bean is rid from pulp, fruit
skin
and membrane, cleaned and dried and then, before exporting, the
parchment is peeled off.
Transport
The coffee is graded according to size, density and colour before it
is
packed in bags or as bulk goods in containers and then shipped.
The
coffee is then blended and roasted in the country of destination.