Farmers in Coorg have begun preparing for the time when Robusta coffee is due for harvest.

The fruit is ready to be picked 9-10 months following the initial ‘opening’ of the coffee flower. The farmer nourishes the plant through the seasons, before the fruits are ready for harvest. Between fertilization of the flowers and the harvest, the plant is nurtured by the summer sun, the monsoon rains and the care and ‘awe’ of the farmer and farmhand alike.

Turning from Green to Crimson in the Bright Sun!

Truly, coffee would not be produced solely for commercial purposes. Love and admiration for the coffee plant, nature and environment in particular is what produces this beverage of choice.

Post blossom cultural operations include pruning, fertilizer application, weeding, and shade regulation. The skilled work pool, available within Coorg and the neighbouring states, is an important factor in making this endeavour successful.

The fruit reaches its full size between the end of November and early December. The harvest is ready when the fruit turns a full crimson from green. The plant ripens the fruit gradually from about mid-December. The beans are fully formed by this time and possess all the requirements sought by the trade.

Coffee Plant Ripens the Coffee

The farmer however, waits until over 90% of the Robusta turns red and is ready for harvest, before commencing the picking. The ripe fruit gives the farmer the best out-turn. This measure is the most preferred by traders, curers, grinders, roasters and consumers alike.

Trepidation governs the thoughts and acts of most Robusta farmers at this stage. Having put in a year’s work into the season’s produce and a life-time’s investment into the enterprise, an abundant harvest settles the farmer’s nerves and balances outstanding accounts. Prayers to the almighty are offered well in advance of the pending harvest .

Clusters of 20-60 beans on an average adorn nodes of individual branches of the coffee bush. At the time of ripening, the plant carries a mixture of green and red fruits. Strictly speaking, only at this point does the farmer get an accurate idea of his yield. The Harvest is performed manually. The ‘bare necessities’ such as bags, clean barbecues, and storage space are arranged well in advance. Workmen are most in demand at this stage. The farmer needs to devote a large part of his energy and resources to garner the required workforce.

Rains at this juncture disrupt processes and are not preferred. Most small farmers want to complete the harvest at the earliest once the coffee is ready. Practically though, the harvest season extends up to the end of March.

The coffee farmer is thus almost prepared with another consignment of Coorg coffee, ready to hit the market shortly. Quality is top priority for farmers and the produce is dried to the required levels prior to being bagged and disbursed .

Achayya Mukattira

Mr. Achayya Mukattira is a planter engaged in Corporate farming in South India for about a decade. He has worked with crops such as Tea, Coffee, Pepper, and Cardamom and possesses sound knowledge regarding landscaping and ornamental plant culture. He has been a farmer since 1996, tending a small ancestral coffee plantation in a village called Arapattu, in South Kodagu. He spends a major portion of his time on his farm and feels ‘one’ with nature during these occasions.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 2nd, 2012 at 5:28 PM and is filed under Farming, Flora, Plantation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.