Introduction of World Fine Coffee: analysis and introduction of production problems of Yunnan Coffee and Fine Coffee

Although this short two-week trip to Yunnan only visited the coffee planting and processing base in Pu 'er Menglian and some areas in Baoshan, it also found many problems in production and processing. Although it is inevitable to cover them with partial points, these problems are still summarized. I hope more coffee friends can pay attention to Yunnan coffee. After all, the development of Yunnan coffee depends not only on the hard work of local coffee farmers, but also on various aspects of information. Technical and channel support is also needed.

Yunnan coffee production is mainly concentrated in Pu 'er (180,000 mu), Baoshan (100,000 mu), Dehong (120,000 mu) and Lincang (20,000 mu), most of which are catimor varieties. At present, more than 80% are used as raw materials for instant coffee processing, some of which are provided to Nestle Company, and some are exported to Europe and America by local traders. Judging from the classification standard of specialty coffee, the quality of Yunnan coffee is far from enough.

From the perspective of geographical climate, Yunnan has a vast amount of land that is more suitable for growing coffee.

Climate in Pu 'er City:

The climate of Pu 'er City has three characteristics: low latitude, monsoon and vertical climate. Geographically, it is close to the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal in the south. Influenced by the humid Indian Ocean monsoon, the towering Ailao Mountain and Wuliang Mountain in the east block the invasion of Siberian cold current, forming the main climatic characteristics of warm, humid and calm wind. The temperature difference between the coldest month and the hottest month is not obvious, and it is a real "four seasons like spring" area. The annual average temperature is 15.3~20.2℃, the annual precipitation is 1000~2780 mm, and the annual sunshine hours are 1873.9~2206.3 hours/year. The vertical difference makes the vertical three-dimensional climate of this area obvious. From low to high, there are many kinds of climate types such as north tropical, south subtropical, middle subtropical, north subtropical, south temperate and temperate. Coffee cultivation is mainly distributed in mountainous areas with an altitude of 800- 1200 meters.

Climate in Longyang District, Baoshan City:

Longyang District belongs to southwest monsoon climate zone, subtropical plateau climate type. Three-dimensional climate is particularly obvious, there is "a mountain four seasons, ten miles different days" said, rainy summer, dry winter, sunny rain day and night. Lujiangba, the main coffee planting area in Longyang District, has an annual average temperature of 21.3℃, an average maximum temperature of 29.0℃, an average minimum temperature of 15.5℃, an extreme maximum temperature of 40.3℃, an extreme daily minimum temperature of 0.2℃, an annual precipitation of 747.6 mm, an annual sunshine duration of 2318.1 hours, an annual accumulated temperature of ≥10℃ of 7800.0℃, and an annual average frost-free day of 357 days. Drought disasters are more prominent in this category of areas.

Analysis of climate factors, Puer area except abnormal years of excessive precipitation are more suitable for coffee growth in all aspects, and Baoshan Lujiangba area is a threat factor drought.

Then, in addition to natural factors, the factors that affect the quality of coffee are the factors in the production and planting process, mainly including the following:

First, the variety problem.

Catimor is currently the most widely planted in Yunnan, and a small amount of typica and bourbon are planted in Baoshan. Although they all belong to Arabica species in a large range, these varieties are still very different in nature.

Iron pickup typica: The most classic high-quality Arabica species, from which many commercial improvements are now derived. Excellent taste performance, is recognized as a fine coffee variety, but the yield is extremely low and susceptible to rust disease, requiring more manual management.

Bourbon: This variety is derived from the iron pickup and was expanded by the French after it was planted on Bourbon Island (Reunion Island) in 1708. Bourbon also has a good aroma and rich taste, compared with iron card in the yield and growth force are higher, suitable for planting in 1200- 2000 meters of the area, but the ability to resist pests is weak, and to strong winds and heavy precipitation is more sensitive.

Catimor Catimo: Catimo is not purely Arabica, it is a hybrid of Timor species (belonging to Robestar species) and caturra(a variant of Bourbon species), so catimor has 25% Robestar lineage, and its Robestar lineage also determines its taste defects: aroma is not rich enough, and the overall taste is bitter, prone to astringency and more pungent mildew.

All the varieties planted in Pu 'er area of Yunnan Province are catimor(catimo) varieties. In Baoshan City, typica and bourbon were introduced as early as 1950s, which are called "old varieties" locally. Because the old varieties have low disease and pest resistance and yield, and the management costs more manpower, and there is no advantage in market purchase price, in recent years, coffee farmers have changed to plant new varieties catimor.

Breed defects first restrict the quality of coffee.

coffee berries dried out by drought

Second, the problem of cultivation.

High-quality coffee from seedling, cultivation, fertilization, loosening, pruning and other links need special careful management, but at present Yunnan coffee planting is still in a kind of extensive planting, there are too dense plants, coffee trees pruning is not timely and appropriate, water and fertilizer shortage and other problems, especially like Baoshan drought this year, those coffee trees without irrigation produce beans obviously thin and withered.

(extensive processing in coffee processing plants)

Third, the problem of processing methods.

First of all, although picking is picking ripe red fruits, but there is no strict standard, mixed with a lot of immature beans, bad beans and so on.

Especially in Baoshan area, because many coffee farmers process themselves, firstly, coffee fruits cannot be guaranteed to be picked on the same day and processed together for many days. Many fruits are rotten during processing, and the processed coffee beans cannot be dried immediately. Most of them are dried on cement or soil ground, which is easy to be doped with many sundries. This can easily cause coffee beans to be damp and moldy, and absorb odors.

(Coffee farmers pile up coffee berries in their yard to be processed)

The problems existing in these three links alone have already caused restrictive factors in the production of high-quality coffee, and every link in the whole process of making fine coffee from a seed to a cup of coffee cannot be ignored. In this way, Yunnan Coffee's fine road needs to be improved.

Throughout the production history of Yunnan coffee, coffee has been introduced into Yunnan for one hundred years. Baoshan area has been planted on a large scale since 1950s, while Pu 'er area also started in 1980s. However, the main reasons for the improvement of yield and quality over the years are slowly improving, but there is no fine coffee on a large scale. The main reasons may be as follows:

First, there is no corresponding coffee culture foundation.

China is a big tea-drinking country, coffee production also produces tea Yunnan region now mainly drink tea and coffee drinking is almost zero, many coffee farmers do not know how their own beans are processed into coffee, not like African American countries coffee farmers themselves with pan fried coffee beans to brew coffee, and funny is to hear the most coffee cognition is coffee "bad for the body, affect sleep". Coffee farmers don't understand coffee, buyers don't understand coffee, and even local processors and roasters are abandoning coffee culture to do coffee processing trade.

Second, there is no appropriate technology.

Coffee industry is not a mature industry in China, but as a cash crop, it needs corresponding technical support. Although the government has also provided some support, there are still many shortcomings in popularizing coffee planting technology. Many farmers do not know how to fertilize, irrigate and prune coffee trees reasonably. Although the corresponding agricultural science institutes have been doing research, they are all studying yield and disease resistance. They do not even know that catimor is excluded from the ranks of fine coffee no matter how good it is.

Third, there is no mature and stable market demand.

At present, Yunnan coffee is mostly exported as instant coffee materials, and as single roasted beans, it is only supplied as beans of general quality. There is a market demand to stimulate production, and for Yunnan fine coffee demand, there is no corresponding market in China at present. When the coffee consumption field does not have a clear understanding of fine coffee and there is no basic demand, how can it be in line with the market law to expect the supplier to provide such a supply?

Fourth, there is no scientific quality evaluation system. At present, for Yunnan coffee, whether it is coffee farmers, green bean buyers, governments, coffee roasters or related research institutions for coffee quality evaluation do not have a unified standard or even no standard, as for fine coffee from green beans to roasted beans A series of detection and cup evaluation systems are far from each other, when we do not even have a standard to measure quality, how can we pursue quality?

The above factors are all existing problems that may exist for a long time in the future. Perhaps with the development of the market and the spread of external information, some subjective and objective factors will be promoted to change, but this requires many efforts.

Two weeks of Yunnan coffee trip, this is from a coffee person's point of view, see about Yunnan coffee problems, put forward only personal views, some may not be objective and comprehensive. As a coffee person, I have deep feelings for Yunnan and these kind people. I also hope that this land can really grow my own fine coffee and go to China to go to the world's fine coffee. However, my strength is limited. What I can do is to collect and sort out some relevant information, hoping to provide some help to people in need.

Source:

Two bottles of water coffee world blog