There are basically three kinds of coffee beans grown in Indonesia, namely Arabica coffee beans, robusta coffee beans, and Liberica coffee beans. Coffee in Indonesia has a long history and has an important role in the economic growth of people in Indonesia. Indonesia is blessed with a geographical location that is very suitable to function as a coffee plantation. Indonesia's location is ideal for a microclimate for coffee growth and production.
The entry of coffee into the archipelago cannot be separated from the role of Dutch colonialism. The history of the spread of coffee began in 1696 by the Dutch. At that time, the Dutch brought the first coffee seeds from Malabar, India, to the island of Java. The seeds themselves come from Yemen. A Dutch governor who served in Malabar, India, took the initiative to send seeds known to be of the Arabica variety to another Dutch governor who was on duty in Batavia, now called Jakarta.
This first attempt failed; his entire crop was destroyed by the earthquake and flood. In 1699 a second attempt was made. Coffee cuttings shipped from Malabar. Then in 1706, the results of the first coffee plant on the island of Java were sent to the Amsterdam Botanical Gardens for research. And according to research results, the coffee is of very good quality and has the potential to be traded worldwide.
Since then, the Dutch decided to expand their coffee plantations to other areas in the archipelago. Not only in Java, but also coffee plantations were opened in Aceh, North Sumatra, several areas in Sulawesi, Bali to Papua.
1878 was a bad time for the coffee plant. Coffee plants are attacked by leaf rust disease or Hemileia vastatrix. In order to prevent this pest from destroying the coffee business, the Netherlands brought in a type of Liberica coffee which is thought to be more resilient and resistant to leaf rust.
Liberica had become a prima donna because it was able to replace Arabica. However, this did not last long because Liberica was also affected by leaf rust and crop failure. Then in 1907, the Dutch brought another type of coffee, namely Robusta. Robusta is better able to withstand leaf rust, especially in coffee plantations in the lowlands. Then in 1945, all coffee plantations were taken over by the government of the Republic of Indonesia and became one of the largest commodities in this country.
Robusta coffee can be grown at an altitude below 800 meters above sea level and is resistant to pests. The caffeine content is almost twice that of Arabica coffee, and the taste is more bitter. Some areas that are famous for their Robusta coffee in Indonesia include Lampung, as well as several coffee-producing areas in Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara. Meanwhile, Liberica is said to have a more balanced taste between bitter and sweet.
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