Coffee drinkers appreciate a good cup of coffee. The good brands can cost quite a pretty penny, especially with the current global economic recession. Most of the major coffee brands are made from Coffee Arabica. In contrast, instant coffee comprises coffee Robusta blended with the coffee arabica. Brands like Ricoffy include roasted chicory root (chicory plants available in our online store). There are several coffee varieties, but we shall focus on two main ones. Many Zambian growers grow coffee Robusta. Why would we choose one over the others?
Advantages of growing coffee Robusta
- It is better suited to more diverse climatic conditions. It can handle the heat and prolonged dry season in Zambia.
- More resistant to diseases and pests
- Easier to germinate and grow.
Disadvantage of growing coffee Robusta
- Smaller coffee beans
- The flavour is more bitter and acidic. Hence, blending it with coffee arabica in instant coffee is necessary.
- It fetches lower market prices.
Advantages of growing coffee Arabica
- It produces sweeter, more complex, and smoother-tasting coffee.
- The coffee beans are larger.
- It fetches a better market price.
Disadvantages of growing coffee Arabica
- Low germination rates make it harder to expand the plant population.
- Growing in long, hot summers and climates with lower winter temperatures with a few frost nights, as in Zambia, is more challenging. Especially in Lusaka, which has less rainfall than the more northern parts of the country.
- Less resistant to diseases and pests that may damage the beans.
- Birds may attack the coffee cherries and pierce the soft pulp and husk.
However, using some methods borrowed from agroforestry, polyculture, and phytosanitary techniques has helped us overcome many challenges of growing coffee. We have been growing our coffee with high yields and minimal inputs, such as once-weekly watering and adding composted manure three times a year.
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