REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SIDOARJO - Indonesia, having an extensive coffee farming, is expected to become the largest producer of coffee in Southeast Asia. The current coffee production in Indonesia is 600,000 tonnes per year.
"Government will boost the production in order to become the largest coffee producer," Minister of Trade Gita Wirjawan said on Tuesday. "We have to improve our upstream and downstream industry," he added.
Indonesia must be able to utilize the available area in the country as well as prepare the technology. He said that all stake holders must be consistent.
The Head of Indonesia Coffee Exporters Association (Gaeki), Hutama Sugandhi, said five of ten best coffee varieties were from Indonesia. "We have the world-famous Java Coffee and Toraja Coffee," he said.
Indonesia produces 700-800 kilograms per hectare in 1.1 million hectare area. Whereas Vietnam, which has only 550,000 hectare, can produce three tonnes per hectare.
