History, culture and taste characteristics of Burundian coffee

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Coffee arrived in Burundi at the end of the 20th century during the Belgian colonial period. Since 1933, farmers have been required to care for at least 50 coffee trees. Coffee production began to be privatized in 1962 when Burundi became independent; it returned to public ownership in 1972 as the political situation changed; and it gradually returned to private ownership from 1991.

Coffee tree cultivation increased steadily in Burundi, but the civil war in 1993 caused a sharp drop in production. Since then, Burundi has been working to increase the production and value of coffee. Investment in the coffee industry was seen as a priority because Burundi's economy had been devastated by the long civil war. According to statistics for 2011, Burundi's per capita national income is among the lowest in the world, and 90 per cent of the population depends on farming for their livelihood. Total exports of coffee and tea account for 90 per cent of foreign exchange earnings.

Coffee production is now recovering, though not at levels seen in the early 1980s. But the future of Burundi's coffee industry remains hopeful. The country's 650,000 households depend on coffee production for their livelihoods, so campaigns to raise incomes by improving coffee quality are all the more beneficial. But political unrest remains a cause for concern.

The geography of Burundi is ideal for coffee cultivation. It is mountainous and has a suitable altitude and climate. There are no coffee plantations in the country, and Burundi coffee beans are mainly produced by a large number of small farmers. In recent years, these small-scale producers have become increasingly organized and tend to cluster around the 160 wet treatment plants in the territory, two thirds of which are state-owned and the rest privately owned, each processing coffee beans from an average of several hundred to up to two thousand producers.

Wet treatment plants in different production areas will also form management integration units, basically the Wet Treatment Plant Management Association (SOGESTAL). The Association's main function is to provide better hardware in the region, and therefore has contributed to the improvement in the quality of Burundi coffee in recent years. The best coffee in Burundi is washed, mostly bourbon, but there are other varieties. Burundi has many similarities with neighbouring Rwanda; apart from similar altitudes and coffee varieties, both are landlocked countries, which can be an obstacle to rapid export of green coffee beans to consumer countries in their best condition. Like Rwanda, Burundi coffee is prone to potato flavor defects.

Production and sales history

Until recent years, every wet treatment plant under SOGESTAL had mixed raw beans. Many coffees from Burundi can only be traced back to their respective SOGESTAL, i.e. their original region of origin.

Since 2008, Burundi has begun to transform itself into a boutique coffee industry, leading to more direct trade and traceable procurement methods. In 2011, Burundi held a coffee quality competition called Prestige Cup, which was also a precursor to the official Cup of Excellence. Coffee beans from each wet treatment plant are stored separately, ranked according to quality, and then sold at auctions. Coffee beans have production and marketing records. It also means that unique high-quality coffee beans from Burundi will gradually appear on the market, which will greatly help improve the quality.

Coffee taste

High quality coffee from Burundi has complex berry flavours and a juicy taste.

producing areas

Population: 8,749,000

2013 production (60 kg/bag): 167,000 bags

Burundi is a small country and therefore does not have a clear geographical area. As long as the geographical environment and altitude are suitable, coffee trees can be planted throughout the territory. The country is divided into different provinces, and coffee plantations are clustered around rewetting plants.