Compare Arabica with Robasta

Variety and planting

Today there are two main types of coffee grown in the most important coffee-producing countries: Arabica coffee and Robasta coffee. Their grafting produces several seed varieties, and different varieties are represented by the names of the corresponding producing countries.

Arabica coffee beans

Arabica coffee is a precious variety. It has been planted and screened for centuries. It accounts for 3/4 of the world's coffee production. As its name suggests, Arabica coffee comes from Arabia and is suitable for growing in mineral-rich lands. The more famous subvarieties of Arabica coffee are Mocha, Maragogipe, San Ramon, Columnaris, and Bourbon. Arabica coffee from Brazil takes the common name for Brazilian coffee, while Arabica coffee from Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador (Port Brazil), Haiti, San Diego (the capital of Dominica) is called Milds, as well as Arabica coffee from Africa. Arabica coffee beans make coffee that is extremely mellow, full-bodied, strong, and low in caffeine; however, the coffee tastes different depending on the type of crop. There are many kinds of Arabica coffee on the market, and it can be said that some low-quality Arabica coffee is actually inferior to high-quality robastian coffee. Arabica coffee beans are slightly longer in shape with a shade of green and blue.

Robastian coffee

This category of robastian coffee can be up to 12 meters tall, grows rapidly, can adapt to land up to 600 meters above sea level, and is more resistant to parasites. Robasta coffee was discovered in Congo in 1898, and the tenacious species has since spread widely, especially in Africa, Asia and Indonesia, where the climate is not suitable for growing Arabica coffee. Robasta coffee accounts for 1/4 of the world's coffee production. Because of its high caffeine content (about twice as much as Arabica coffee) and tenacious properties, robassta coffee is usually used for specialty mixing. Excessive and misprocessed coffee can lead to low quality, bitter taste and strong "wood flavor", which is typical of natural robastian coffee produced in Africa. Washed coffee in Indonesia is rare and is known for its unique use in some blends. Robastian coffee beans are small, round and brown in color.

If coffee trees are to flourish and produce satisfactory fruits, they need some special conditions. They are:

 1. Suitable climate: in the area between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Cancer, the climate is hot and humid or hot but not dry, sufficient Rain Water, the temperature is between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius

 2. The soil is thick, hard, permeable, well irrigated and well drained. The best land is in mountainous areas, especially on hillsides, preferably volcanic soil with decomposable rocks, or newly ploughed forest land. Although some coffee tree species can thrive on land 2000 to 2200 meters high, others grow below 400m, or even on horizontal ground, the best elevation is between 600m and 1200 m.

 3. The purpose of careful cultivation is to protect the growth of coffee trees at all stages, so:

a. Species should be selected from strong, luxuriant, long-lived coffee trees.

b. To sow, first spread the seeds in a sheltered, cool nursery shed. Six months later, usually during the rainy season, the coffee seedlings are moved to the planting area, and the mother soil is retained at the roots.

Depending on the area under cultivation (tropical or subtropical), coffee trees should be planted at intervals with other trees to protect them from strong winds and strong sunlight. In this way, coffee trees can only grow to three or four years old.