Indonesia

Indonesia, the largest and most populous country in Southeast Asia, consists of 17.504 islands extending along the equator between the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Kalimantan (two third of Borneo) and Irian Jaya (western New Guinea) make up 90 per cent of the land area. Most of Indonesia is mountainous and covered with rain forest or mangrove swamps, and there are over 300 volcanoes, some still active. Two third of the population lives in the lowland areas of Java and Mandura.

In general the climate is a tropical monsoon one. Indonesia is rich in energy resources, minerals, forests and fertile soil. It is among the world's top producers of rice, palm oil, tea, coffee, rubber and tobacco. It is the world's leading exporter of natural gas and a major exporter of oil and timber. In recent years manufacturing output has risen. A range of goods are produced including textiles, clothing, cement, fertilizers and vehicles. Tourism is having a significant increasing every year.

First introduced by Dutch colonisers who planted African Arabica trees in 1696, coffee is one of the oldest, commercially cultivated Indonesian crops. Rust disease ran rampant and almost annihilated the coffee trees about a century ago. Now, most of that acreage has been replaced by disease-resistant Robusta. Indonesian Robusta is slightly spicy or with a smokey aftertaste. As for Arabica, Indonesia faced severe competition from southeast Asian suppliers, providing better qualities, and had to come up with another game plan - namely borrowing from its past to improve its future. The government began reviving Arabica cultivations on estates originally established by colonisers in Java. The Arabica grown on the former Dutch estates is a bean of another colour in contrast to the still predominant Robusta crop and "old" seems to be the operative word in describing or naming it. "Old Government", "Old Brown", "Old Java" designate Arabica warehoused for two years or more. Once matured, the bean turns a light brown, loses some of its acidity and gains body and sweetness. Of the three, the last was considered a gourmet-level brew until just after World War II. Although it has been resurrected, it is still sometimes hard to find.

Originally, coffee was grown on plantations which were mainly in Java, a recognised name well known for its quality. Since then, the tremendous growth in the economy and in the population of Java has forced coffee to move to a large extent to Sumatra and other islands. At the same time, the majority of the coffee has been switched to become small holder crop, which now account for more than 90 percent of the total production.

In East Java there are still many large plantations which concentrate on producing both Arabica and Robusta using the wet process. In Sulawesi, the highest quality of Arabica is grown in the Central Highlands of Toraja. In North Sumatra the highlands also produce very fine Arabica, and again it is handled largely by smallholders. 

The proportion of Robusta continues at slightly over 90 percent of the total. New developments however are concentrated on Arabica. Indonesia's target is to increase its production to 30% of the total output. The authorities intend to maintain Robusta production at present levels all while encouraging smallholders and plantations to develop areas suitable for growing top quality Arabicas. Already Toroja and the well known Mandheling and Lintong coffee have established a good reputation and obtain premium prices. Yields in the traditional areas are still low on a per hectare basis, but perhaps it is for this reason that coffee retains such a distinctive characteristic and quality. Much of the crop here is naturally organic

Indonesia's natural quality of soil, climate and environment are among the best in the world. In addition, with its heritage of being among the first producing countries to export commercial quantities of coffee to Europe more than 200 years ago, Indonesia clearly has a tradition and knowledge of coffee.