Indonesia is currently listed as the third highest Robusta coffee producer in the world. There are several well-known robusta-producing areas. One that has started to become well-known is Robusta coffee from Papua and West Papua. If you haven’t heard much about it, here are some explanations about West Papua’s robusta coffee.
First, you need to know that robusta is one of the most known coffee varieties, along with arabica coffee. The differences are robusta coffee can grow at a lower altitude than arabica coffee. In general, much land in Indonesia fits the requirements to grow robusta. 400-800 meters altitude and an average of 21-24 celsius degrees temperature.
Robusta coffee is well-known as commercial coffee. This means it is usually used for the main ingredients of instant coffee or house blend espresso mixture. Robusta also has a lower caffeine level than arabica coffee.
West Papua Coffee Plantation
Baliem Wamena was the first area in Papua that became famous for its coffee production and characteristics. In the first place, Wamena coffee are already registered in geographical indications or ‘Indikasi Geografis” DJKI Indonesia as Kopi Arabika Baliem Wamena.
Looking at the success of Wamena coffee, people from other regions of Papua, including West Papua, have started to pay more attention to potential coffee plantations around them, especially if they are in an area with similar natural characteristics to Wamena.
Not long after, other success stories of West Papua coffee began to emerge from several areas, such as Moanemani and Arfak Mountains. To emphasize, in 2016, West Papua authorities opened 20 hectares of a new coffee plantation in the Arfak Mountains. The coffee seedlings to develop there are coming from Wamena.
Meanwhile, in Moanemani, the locals collaborate with the government and experts to conduct coffee production training and procure more tools for coffee processing.
As a result, coffee quality and quantity in West Papua are increasing. The coffee-producers areas were also getting more and more famous, so the demand for Arfak coffee and Moanemani coffee is also increasing.
Characteristics and Process of West Papua’s Robusta Coffee
The flavor characteristics of coffee can be determined by the influence of various aspects. That is why coffees from different regions can have their unique taste. One of the special things about West Papuan coffee is most of the processes are still traditional, without the intervention of modern machines and chemicals substance.
In addition, West Papua robusta coffee plantations lie more than 1.000 meters above sea level. The soil of the plantation is volcanic, and most grow under the shade of a tropical rainforest.
The harvesting time of coffee in West Papua is around May until September every year. Usually, people will hand-picked the red coffee cherry, remove the outer skin, dry it, then hull it again in a semi-wet state.
These processes resulted in a balanced coffee, bold body, floral and herbal aroma, low acidity, and chocolaty taste notes.
The Local’s Favourite – Kopi Senang
Besides single-origin coffee from specific regions in West Papua, a well-known instant coffee brand has become the local’s favorite. This instant coffee production is in Sorong, using robusta coffee from Papua and other areas. The brand name is “Kopi Senang”.
This coffee is now a famous local product because the amount of production is not massive, and the distribution area is only in West Papua. The price of Kopi Senang is also affordable and has several choices of variants to suit the diverse consumers’ demands.
Nowadays, Kopi Senang has become one of the typical souvenirs of West Papua and a mandatory drink for tourists visiting West Papua. So if you visit West Papua, you will find this coffee in several places.
Final Words
In conclusion, West Papua has considerable potential in the coffee industry. West Papua’s robusta coffee already contributes to the local’s welfare. Also, began to receive international recognition. If you have never tried robusta coffee from West Papua, come on, try it right away!