Understanding the Coffee Potential in West Nusa Tenggara

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SEMBALUN, East Lombok (ANTARA) – Coffee goes through quite a long journey from the farm to the coffee lover’s cup. and Each stage of processing affects the aroma and taste of the coffee, especially the Arabica and Robusta coffees grown in the Sembalun sub-district or on the slopes of Mount Rinjani in East Lombok.

In view of the many ways of processing coffee and in order to adapt to the current popularity of coffee, the tourist resort Surga Rinjani Park held a free barista course, attended by dozens of students from all over Lombok.

The course was held over two days from September 11 to 12, 2023, and was conducted by certified barista instructors MS Wathan (Sangka Bira), Rian (Lombok Roastery), Hazrur Azmi (Coffee Shop), Heri (Sembalun Coffee), Taufik (Orange Coffee) and Bayu Van Warso (Malang Coffee).

The event was designed to provide a platform for participants to better understand coffee. From the history of coffee to the post-harvest process, participants learned about coffee farming and baristas in Sembarun and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

The participants were enthusiastic and eager to take part in the series of activities. Nazaruddin from Sembarun Timba Gading village said he was very grateful for the opportunity to take part in the course.

During the course, participants paid close attention to information about the history of the coffee beans’ origins and the impact of processing on the coffee’s taste.

The taste of coffee depends on the processing and brewing method. Well brewed coffee has different flavors, such as strawberry, orange and apple. Coffee is not just bitter, but has a variety of accompanying flavors.

During the course, students were also invited to participate in brewing and cupping competitions. Manual brewing is the technique of making coffee by hand using special filter paper instead of using an espresso machine. Cupping is the process of finding out the aroma or taste of coffee.

Participants expressed the hope that the government and coffee observers from the National Tourism Administration, especially baristas, would frequently hold similar events so that coffee farmers and young people interested in the coffee industry could innovate in coffee processing themselves.

NTB Coffee Potential

NTB Province consists of several islands. The two largest islands in the province are Lombok and Sumbawa. There are two notable mountain ranges in the area: Mount Rinjani in East Lombok (Lombok) and Mount Tambora in Dompu (Sumbawa).

Lombok has excellent natural conditions and produces a large amount of agricultural products, especially coffee. Compared with the relatively arid Sumbawa Island, the output is quite good.

According to the NTB Agriculture and Plantation Services, coffee is produced in almost every district/city in the region, including both Robusta and Arabica coffee. The coffee-growing districts/cities in the province are Mataram City, North Lombok, West Lombok, Central Lombok, East Lombok, West Sumbawa, Sumbawa, Dompu, Bima, and Bima City.

Provisional data show that the area harvested for Robusta coffee in NTB reached 11,396 hectares in 2022, with a production of 5,500 tons. Meanwhile, the area planted with Arabica coffee was smaller, at 1,076 hectares, with a production of 978 tons. Robusta coffee production in NTB, as well as in most coffee production centers in Indonesia, is higher than Arabica coffee because the two coffees have different characteristics.

There are differences between Arabica coffee and Robusta coffee in terms of cultivation and taste.Coffee) is an easier variety to grow and is more resistant to disease and adverse environmental conditions. Robusta coffee trees grow at low altitudes, about 200-800 meters above sea level.

Meanwhile, Arabica coffee (Arabica Coffee) is a more difficult coffee variety to grow and more susceptible to disease. Arabica coffee trees grow at high altitudes, about 600 to 2,000 meters above sea level.

Robusta coffee has a higher caffeine content, about 2.7-4% by weight of the coffee bean. This makes Robusta coffee taste stronger and more bitter. Arabica coffee has a lower caffeine content, about 1-1.5% by weight of the coffee bean, and therefore, its flavor is softer and more complex.

The North Kanda provincial government has been working to expand coffee cultivation to increase production and farmers’ welfare. This year, the Ministry of Agriculture has allocated a budget to open up 300 hectares of new coffee cultivation areas on Sumbawa Island.

This effort is very justified as the agricultural sector remains the largest pillar of the Northern Tebbut economy. More than one-fifth of the Northern Tebbut’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) comes from the agricultural sector.

According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), in 2021, for example, the economic value of NTB (ADHB at current prices) reached IDR 140.15 trillion, of which the agricultural sector contributed IDR 31.96 trillion (22.8%). Compared with other sectors, the agricultural sector contributed the most.

Next, the industry with the largest GRDP value is mining, with a value of IDR 24.28 trillion (17.33%), followed by wholesale and retail trade, with a value of IDR 19.6 trillion (13.98%), and construction, with a GRDP value of IDR 13.67 trillion.

The North Tabu Province, known for producing various agricultural products such as coffee, is continuing to work hard to realize its potential and attract all parties, especially young people, to become millennial farmers. It is hoped that young farmers will be able to develop the region’s agricultural sector through their innovation.

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