East Timor Aifu FW - Lacau

Milk chocolate, cherry, raspberry, grape
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Bag Weight 30 KG BAG
Harvest Season 2016/17
Status Spot
Lot Number P602948-1
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About This Coffee

This is an Aifu FW grade coffee collected from 23 families in Lacau village, which is south of Ermera and Aileu in the western part of East Timor. Growing altitude at Lacau ranges from 1500 - 1700 masl and varities grown include Hybrid de Timor (Moka) and Typica (Arabe). Pulped parchment is fermented for 24-48 hours before drying on aptios and raised beds.

Coffee plantations were introduced to East Timor in 1815 by the Portuguese. However, many of the Timorese communities were displaced during the Indonesian invasion of 1975. Consequently, much land was abandoned and coffee plantations have since grown wild, thriving in the country's rich mountainous environment.

The Portuguese had initially arrived for sandalwood but after they exhausted the supply, coffee became the primary export. In the 1920’s a spontaneous inter specific cross between robusta and arabica was discovered: Hibrido de Timor. This became the genetic foundation for almost all leaf rust resistant varieties world wide. East Timor's total production is relatively small at around 160,000 bags or 550 containers in a good year. The local market is dominated by a duopoly of exporters that account for nearly 80% of the total exports. Timor’s production is primarily commercial grade arabica, with small volumes of robusta and comparatively tiny volumes of specialty. Despite it’s incredible potential, Timor’s coffee industry has staggered particularly in recent times of war and ensuing political, economic and social volatility. Our Timor village lots and regional coffees are the result of MTC developing supply lines along with technical assistance and processing equipment being donated to the coffee lands of Ermera. We have worked relentlessly to help organise underprivileged local small-holders while providing much needed market access, infrastructure, and technical support. Today these farmer groups are producing genuine specialty coffees with improved access to international specialty markets. The result and the ongoing goal: a fantastic cup and improved farmer livelihoods. During harvest time, ripe cherry is hand-picked and carried to the village for pulping, often in locally made, gum wood and tin pulpers. Pulped parchment is fermented for 24-48 hours depending on the local weather conditions at the time, and then is hand-washed. Clean parchment is subsequently dried on tarps or one of the 160+ raised beds donated by MTC. Prior to collection, the dry parchment is inspected by our local team to ensure strict quality criteria are met. Each village is comprised of a network of smallholder farmers who operate collectively to harvest, process, and dry their coffee. Individual farmers typically own and manage 1-2 hectares of land, planted with Hibrido de Timor and Typica, locally known as ‘moka’ and ‘arabe’, respectively.

  • Cup Score 85.25
  • Region Lacau < Ermera
  • Processing Washed
  • Processing Description 24-48 hr fermentation. Dried on patios and raised beds.
  • Bag Type Grain Pro / Ecotact
  • On Sale No
  • Top Lot No
  • Status Spot
  • Coffee Grade TLS CA WA AIF PR
  • CTRM Contract Number P602948-1
  • Country of Origin Timor-Leste
  • Warehouse The Annex

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