Cavite coffee farmers encouraged to ‘pick red cherries’ for fine Robusta
Cavite has always been associated with coffee, namely the Robusta variety (Batangas specializes in Liberica, aka Barako) commonly used to make instant coffee. Now, other provinces share this distinction including Bukidnon, Kalinga, Maguindanao, and Sultan Kudarat. Picking red cherries is a way to give farmers--whatever province they’re from or variety they grow--and edge in a growing industry.
“Every harvest time, many farmers just ‘strip pick’ coffee fruits instead of picking them one by one and choosing only what is red, or what is ripe for the picking. We thought it would be such a waste to wait for a year to harvest, and only to not choose the ripe fruits,” says Pacita “Chit” Juan, President of the Philippine Coffee Board, Inc. (PCBI). “By encouraging farmers to pick red, the quality of the coffee is optimized and the best flavor and quality is assured by picking ripe fruits.” WHAT IS FINE ROBUSTA? Picking only ripe coffee cherries means ending up with a superior, even-tasting product that can be marketed as ‘Fine Robusta,’ which commands a higher price than regular Robusta composed of strip picked beans of different ripeness.
Determining if beans meet the ‘Fine Robusta’ standard is fairly simple. “Since Cavite grows Robusta due to its lower elevation (300-500 meters above sea level), picking red ripe cherries is the first step in looking for fine Robusta. After processing them (wet or dry method), cuppers or graders taste the coffee and give them a grade. All those who score above 80 points become classified as Fine Robusta and commands a higher price in the market. All those who don’t make the grade get a price of commodity coffee which is what is used for instant or soluble coffee,” Juan explains.
Picking only red coffee cherries may mean more effort for the farmer, but it also translates to more earnings. “Robusta which does not reach (a grade of) 80 (points) fetches only about R100/ kilo of green beans. Fine Robusta can command R170-R180/ kilo,” Juan says. This is also a move towards disassociating Robusta with its reputation as good only for instant coffee.