Managing coffee plots, maximises returns. Good coffee drying and storage are major aspects to maintain quality and maximise profits from coffee.
Coffee management practices maximise returns. Picking, quality management and storage affect income.
Coffee picking
Pick only red ripe berries at least once a week. Avoid stripping off berries, because this removes unripe berries. Bruising the twig thus diseases easily enter. Also do not allow berries to over ripe as this lowers the overall quality. Harvest all berries at end of the season to help stop the spread of pests and diseases also use use clean harvesting sheets and containers.
Coffee drying
Dry on tarpaulins or plastic sheets as bare ground affects quality and encourages growth of moulds. Spread cherries 3 metres maximum and keep raking so that cherries dry evenly. Keep the coffee cherries dry by bringing them indoors incase of rain threats. You can also wrap them in tarpaulins when rain comes. Dry for 5 – 8 days to maintain quality as well as check for dryness by using moisture metre, bitting, cutting sound of cherry. Always keep the coffee beans in clean bags, off the ground and in a well ventilated room not near the walls to avoid moisture absorption.
