Farmers are the main gateway to exports since the supply begins with farmers; thus, if farmers can cultivate and post-harvest properly, it will also create good quality. After the coffee harvest, the farmer performs the following processing:
3.2. Sorting Cherries through Mining and Pulping Coffee
The farmers often harvest ripe cherries in the morning and afternoon. They begin separating or peeling the cherry skin from the coffee beans later in the evening, then pulping and washing. A small fraction of farmers engage in the process of peeling the coffee themselves, whereas the majority of farmers directly submit their coffee cherries to the coffee mill. The drawback is that they will obtain a lower price. All coffee cherries must be harvested promptly, as cherries left unharvested will rot on the tree and attract pests. The mentioned drought will impact harvest quality in the next year. Before peeling, farmers sort coffee fruits by submerging them in water, causing the good beans to sink and the bad beans to float. The good and bad beans are then separated. The farmer propagated coffee at home after harvesting coffee fruits from the plantation. Sorting and sieving are performed at home because there is no water on the coffee plantation. Some farmers need more water supply to sort the beans. Some revealed that they peeled the coffee beans directly in the garden. This is because it is late afternoon, and the farmer has to return home from the farm immediately. According to farmers, peeling (pulp) cherries is advisable once they are picked immediately. If left for too long, they may become contaminated with bacteria, resulting in poor-quality coffee. The maximum time allowed after picking is 24 hours. The faster cherries are peeled with a pulper, the better.
Several farmers also do not fully understand the process; sometimes, they start picking coffee in the morning but do not process it until the afternoon or the following day because of the invitation to a party or other activity. Some farmers use a peeling machine to peel the cherries, while others do the peeling manually. Farmers who have a grinding machine usually grind coffee seeds themselves. However, if they do not have a peeling machine, some people sell the cherries directly to the village peacock who owns the peacocks, and some also sell their cherries to the owner of the peaches. After that, the coffee beans are sunbathed and then sold to the wrappers.
The purpose of coffee peeling is to separate the outer skin from the inner bean. A farmer felt dissatisfied with the output of the pulp machine because there were still lots of fruits that needed to be perfectly grated. Farmers believe that the peeling of coffee leather impacts the popularity or success of coffee sales. Workers assist in the process of peeling coffee fruit into wet parchment. When farmers harvest 10 kg of coffee cherries, they will obtain approximately 2–3 kg of wet paddy rice. Subsequently, the farmers sold wet coffee beans and some sun-dried coffee. Many farmers only process it until it becomes wet paddy. Generally, farmers sell coffee cherries directly to coffeemakers. Few farmers sort by separating coffee seeds from their skins by mining and pulping. Generally, farmers who continue the sorting and cleaning process use pulper machines and labor. Most farmers do not pulp coffee according to the proper standards. For example, farmers peel coffee using a simple machine. Sometimes, there are defective coffee beans due to the peeling machine. Typically, farmers separate the good and defective results.
3.3. Coffe Washing and Drying
Coffee is washed after peeling. Farmers who wash and dry are those with pulper equipment and labor. The drying process is done after the coffee is peeled and washed. However, some farmers do not wash the coffee after peeling it; they dry it immediately, especially those needing water access. Usually, farmers peel the coffee in the garden and wash it immediately if there is water, then dry it at home. If there is no water supply in the garden, the coffee beans will not be washed immediately and brought directly to the house for drying. Some farmers wash the shelled coffee beans in a barrel instead of running water. An essential aspect of this process is washing the coffee with clean water, as the quality of the coffee will deteriorate if the water is contaminated, for example, by soap. Washing coffee beans with unclean water will result in an unpleasant taste, causing the coffee to be rejected by exporters. It is advantageous for farmers to have a continuous flow of water from the mountains. During the coffee drying process, if weather conditions are favorable, with even heat and no clouds, it only takes 4 hours or half a day to dry the coffee beans. Usually, workers assist in coffee drying. It is recommended to lay the coffee on a thick tarp on the ground or on racks specially made for drying coffee. Some farmers with large harvests use drying machines.
Farmers in mountainous areas face challenges due to the unstable mountain weather. Meanwhile, unprocessed rice still contains about 80% moisture, so sufficient sunlight is needed to reduce the moisture content to 30–40%, and this process can take 1-3 days. Therefore, dried coffee beans, known as parchment or wet husk, still have a high moisture content. The challenge lies in the unstable and fluctuating climate in the mountains and the little sunlight, which is crucial for reducing the moisture content of the rice. Drying coffee using tarpaulin to cover the coffee beans during rain will result in evaporation and contamination, leading to the growth of bacteria and mold on the coffee. Sun-drying coffee is of utmost importance due to its reliance on sunlight. If the weather is unfavorable, farmers will incur losses. To overcome dependence on sunlight, research was conducted using an infrared-based electromechanical system to dry coffee. The results show that the quality of coffee dried using infrared drying has a higher cupping score of 82.39% compared to traditional sun drying, which achieves a cupping score of 81.34% [
29].
The simple treatment carried out by farmers has a crucial role in affecting the quality that will be achieved by exporters in the future. A farmer needs to get a good education in managing post-harvest. Farmers' role in the product quality cycle is approximately 60%, from cultivation to post-harvest. This is in line with Kembaren's view that the quality of coffee is determined by its handling during harvest and post-harvest[
30].
Many farmers need to learn the concept of specialty coffee to feel that specialty and non-specialty coffee are the same price. The largest local specialty market is in Java and abroad. Gayo farmers, in general, are still unfamiliar with technology and need more access to information, so they are less competitive with coffee farmers in Java. According to farmers, exporters should play a role in improving coffee quality, but the role of exporters is done through collectors or collectors. The government only plays a role in cultivation, such as overcoming coffee plant diseases.
Most farmers in Permata Subdistrict sell coffee in the form of cherries and wet grain, with only a tiny number selling green beans. This is due to farmers' need for more human resources, such as skills and knowledge in post-harvest processing, the lack of capital to buy coffee processing equipment such as pulper machines and the distance of water sources for washing coffee.
Furthermore, while examining the four fundamental components of the Small and Medium-Sized Producers framework inside the global value chain, one of these pillars is access to funding. This pillar encompasses infrastructure, equipment, certification, and standardization. The ordinary coffee farmer in Permata District has not yet attained this pillar to its maximum potential. For instance, as a result of insufficient and steep road infrastructure that leads to coffee plantations, it is frequently necessary for farmers to spend the night when unexpected weather changes happen. Additionally, with regard to equipment, there is still a manual pulper machine. Only a limited number of farmers have sufficient equipment for the processing procedure. The following represents the coffee quality obtained from standard processing methods without any additional treatment.
Table 2.
Post-harvest treatment and processing.
Table 2.
Post-harvest treatment and processing.
Processing Stage |
Sorting |
Grinding |
Washing |
Drying |
Defect Condition |
Treatment |
None |
Regular |
Regular |
Regular |
<35% |
Based on the table above, it is known that farmers who only do regular post-harvest processes without any special treatment generally obtain coffee of rather poor quality, with a yield percentage below 35%. The table above illustrates the low quality of coffee processed by coffee farmers in Permata District, Bener Meriah Regency. The low yield is due to the subpar coffee processing methods employed. Hal ini sesuai dengan penelitian yang dilakukan oleh Hardi yang menyatakan nilai rendemen kopi beras berbasis kopi labu adalah 35%[
31]. This is due to the constraints of the relatively cold local temperature in Central Aceh and the simple technology used for the coffee drying process, with an average daily temperature ranging from 23-29°C. The drying process of pumpkin coffee until it can be ground takes 12 hours, with 8 hours on the first day and 4 hours on the second day. The farmers engage in independent efforts to carry out post-harvest processes. As a result, the harvest quality becomes low. The treatment and assistance patterns carried out by farmers in cultivation and post-harvest processes can be seen in the following table:
Table 3.
Treatment and Assistance on Post-Harvest Processing Process.
Table 3.
Treatment and Assistance on Post-Harvest Processing Process.
The role of farmers to improve quality |
Actions |
Constraints |
Solutions |
The actors |
Quality |
Fruit Sorting
Milling
Washing
Drying
Percentage Yield
|
|
Join a farmer group or cooperative to expand knowledge |
Plantation Office and Exporters |
Furthermore, the farmer's role in the coffee value chain lies in post-harvest coffee processing, such as fruit sorting, grinding, washing, and drying. In this scenario, small-scale farmers with limited financial resources may experience some difficulties at this stage, resulting in output quality that is far below average. At this stage, the role of institutions is indispensable, especially for farmers with financial limitations. Strong farmer group institutions will provide knowledge and skills to improve coffee quality. In addition, these organizations will provide various options for improvement, including providing Quality Assurance services. In addition, the government will further assist companies by offering legal assistance and infrastructure to farmers. Some actions that farmers can take to improve coffee quality at the post-harvest stage are as follows:
Table 4.
Post-Harvest Processing Treatments to Improve Arabica Coffee Quality in Permata District.
Table 4.
Post-Harvest Processing Treatments to Improve Arabica Coffee Quality in Permata District.
Processing Stage |
Treatment |
Supporting Actors |
Fruit Sorting |
Floating cleaning |
Quality Assurance (QA) |
Hulling |
Wet Hull |
QA |
Washing |
Flowing water |
QA |
Drying |
Greenhouse |
QA |
Defect Condition |
12% - 15% |
QA |
Furthermore, the research findings indicate that all participants in this study are not involved or affiliated with any farming groups or cooperatives. This finding deserves attention as it may have severe consequences if it continues. Farmers can easily access information and markets for their agricultural products by joining a farmer group or similar organization. Additionally, being part of a farmer group allows farmers to easily receive assistance in improving the productivity and quality of their harvests.
Based on the Small and Medium-Sized Producers model proposed by Stark, which consists of access to training, capital, collaboration and coordination, and market access [
32]. The stages of cultivation, such as planting, harvesting, and processing, can be integrated into the training program. This integration allows farmers to develop technical skills for each stage, including planting techniques, harvesting methods, and post-harvest processing knowledge. This is also similar to the stages found in post-harvest coffee processing. Effective coordination is vital to improve the quality of coffee production among farmers. This entails establishing solid relationships with cooperatives or farmer groups, which provide essential institutional support and resources to enhance farming practices and productivity. These farmer groups will provide knowledge and skills to improve production. A strong relationship between the institutional framework and farmers is essential for successful trade practices. This relationship ensures mutual understanding, cooperation, and support in various trade-related aspects. Institutionalization offers diverse forms of assistance, including the deployment of agronomists. Moreover, the government contributes to supporting institutions and farmers by providing training and infrastructure, ensuring comprehensive support for agricultural development. The research conducted by Kassaye demonstrates the influence of cooperative institutions, certification, private traders, farmers, sorting methods, and processing on the quality of Arabica coffee[
33].
The research findings indicate that coffee beans from cooperative institutions are of higher quality. Additionally, the dry processing method enhances the quality of coffee by processing ripe red cherries. Sorting cherries by quality also enhances the overall quality of coffee. Only a small portion of farmers in Permata District engage in post-harvest processing. This process includes sorting, husking, peeling, washing, and sun-drying the red paddy before selling it as wet rice according to market demand. Some farmers also continue separating the coffee beans from the huller and sun-drying them until they become green. Many farmers still face challenges in processing coffee beans during post-harvest processing, such as inadequate drying facilities and limited access to processing equipment. All stakeholders must take additional actions per their specific roles and responsibilities to address this issue. The ultimate goal of coffee processing is to achieve a flavor that consumers recognize and prefer.
In addition, when considering the four pillars of the small and medium producer model in the global value chain, there is the pillar of access to finance, which consists of infrastructure, equipment, and certification and standardization. Due to inadequate infrastructure, informants often have to stay overnight in response to sudden weather changes. Some informants lacked essential tools, particularly those required for processing. Most key informants emphasized the need for standardization in coffee farming on their farms to uphold a high-quality and efficient value chain.
Post-harvest processing is the second stage in coffee cultivation or production management, following the cultivation process or production management. This stage is crucial because the quality of coffee, which is determined during post-harvest processing, significantly influences its market value and added value. Effective coordination among stakeholders, such as farmers, institutions, and government bodies, is essential to improve coffee quality. Farmer groups play a vital role in imparting knowledge and skills to enhance coffee quality, while farmers must also cultivate deep relationships with traders in the trade. Institutions offer various forms of support, such as providing Quality Assurance services. At the same time, the government plays a crucial role in offering support through training, education, and infrastructure development for both institutions and farmers.