The life on a coffee plantation is very hectic for everybody throughout the year. The following processes are involved in the cultivation and harvesting of coffee on a plantation:
i. After clearing the land, some shady trees are planted in advance.
ii. Coffee seeds or cuttings are first raised in a nursery. After about 6 to 12 months, the seedlings are transplanted about 3 metres apart in the main field. Planting is done in the rainy season.
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iii. The coffee tree may grow up to a height of about 8 metres, but the trees are pruned to a height of about 2.5 metres. It is easier to pick berries by hand from a smaller tree.
iv. The coffee tree starts bearing fruits after 5 years and yields coffee berries for about next 30 years. On an average, one tree yields about 2 kg of coffee berries in a year.
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v. The crop is normally harvested in the cool and dry season. The picking is mostly done by hand.
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vi. Leaves and twigs are separated from the berries by tossing them high in the air.
vii. Each coffee berry has two beans inside, surrounded by a soft pulp. After removing the outer covering, the beans are kept in tanks to ferment. Then the beans are washed and dried.
viii. The dried beans are made to pass through a machine, which removes the outer husk. The beans are now sorted and packed according to shape, size and quality.
ix. The beans are roasted by the importing countries.