Java Kayumas

The fifth largest island of the more than 17,000 that make up Indonesia (6000 of which are inhabited), Java is divided in to four provinces, West Java, Central Java, East Java, and Banten. There are two ‘special regions’ in addition to this, Jakarta, and Yogyakarta. Formed almost entirely from volcanic origins, tropical rainforest is the predominant environment and it is with these surroundings that we find Kayumas.

Koperasi Surya Abada Kayumas, to give them their full name, are based in the East Javan regency of Situbondo. With 180+ members averaging 2 hectares each, resources are pooled to the benefit of the group. With three collection and processing centres centralized to allow members access to processing facilities quickly, they also produce their own organic manure from cattle, goats, and poultry also kept by the smallholders.

The cooperative is managed by Mrs Siti, and they are a well-organized group offering training in pest management, improving coffee quality and productivity.

Cherry is picked and fermented for around 24-36 hours before undergoing an additional cleaning with a mechanical depulper before moving to raised beds where it is dried to around 40% moisture. At this point, it is hulled to remove the parchment, moved to another drying area and dried on sails to around 20% before being moved once more and mechanically dried to 12-13% moisture ready for export.