ROBUSTA COFFEE

Coffee production is a major source of income, especially for developing countries where coffee is grown. By adding value, processing the coffee locally, coffee farmers and countries can increase the revenue from coffee.

Countries known for producing specialty coffee are Colombia, Ethiopia, Brazil, Indonesia and Vietnam .Arabica and Robusta are the most popular coffee types in the coffee producing countries though there are 75 species of coffee around the world.

The robusta coffee plant is a resilient little plant. It can withstand hot temperatures (30°C and over) and full sun. It likes to stay hydrated and requires a lot of water to be happy & healthy.

It grows at low altitudes – sea level to 600 meters, and is resistant to insects and disease.

In the wild it grows to around ten meters tall, but when grown for commercial use is pruned to a height which makes harvesting easier, around five meters.

The fruit of the robusta coffee plant turns deep red as it ripens, and takes around 6 to 8 months to do so. The fruit does not all ripen at the same time, much like blueberries – there can be ripe and unripe fruit on the same branch.

There are usually two coffee beans (seeds) inside each “cherry”, or ripe berry.