Tanzanian coffee’s flavours can be divided into two categories: the heavy-bodied, sweet, naturally processed Robustas and Arabicas grown near Lake Victoria, and the bright, citrusy, berry-like washed Arabicas grown throughout the rest of the country.
In 1898, Catholic missionaries brought coffee to Tanzania and established a coffee plantation. Tanzania currently grows some Robusta coffee, but the majority of the crop is Arabica, including Bourbon, Kent, Nyassa, and the famous Blue Mountain. Robusta is a type of coffee that originated in Brazil. It is prone to wild swings in production, with production ranging from 753,000 bags in 2014/15 to 1,175,000 bags in 2018/19, for example. Tanzania’s export earnings from coffee account for approximately 20% of total export earnings. The low yield of fruit per tree contributes to other growing challenges such as low prices, a lack of training, and a lack of necessary equipment. Most of the beans are grown by smallholders on family farms, with only a few exceptions. Coffee growing is a family business that employs approximately 450,000 people, and the industry as a whole employs approximately 2.5 million people. The coffee is sold at auction in Ethiopia, as it is in some other African countries, but there is also a “direct” window available for buyers who prefer to deal directly with the exporters. It is through this window that higher-quality coffee can be rewarded with higher prices, ultimately leading to a more sustainable cycle of production over the long run.
TANZANIA THE ESSENTIALS OF TANZANIAN COFFEE
0.56 percent of the world market is represented by this percentage.
Harvesting Arabica takes place from July to February, and Robusta takes place from April to December. The main types of coffee are Arabica washed and Robusta natural. The main types of coffee are Arabica Bourbon, Kent, Nyassa, Blue Mountain, and 30 percent Robusta.
16th in the world as a producer according to the World Economic Forum
KAGERA AND BUKOBA are two of the most powerful men in the world. This region, located in Tanzania’s extreme northwest along Lake Victoria, produces the country’s Robusta coffee, which is primarily naturally processed and accounts for approximately 25 percent of the country’s total coffee output.
KILIMANJARO AND ARUSHA ARE TWO OF THE MOST POWERFUL WOMEN IN THE WORLD. The coffee growers in the highlands of Mount Kilimanjaro have the volcanic soil and high altitude necessary for producing some of the best East African coffees, which are exported throughout the world.
THE MOUNTAINS OF USAMBARA It is part of the Eastern Arc that these mountains are located. In recent years, two new coffee species have been discovered in this area, bringing the total number of wild Tanzanian coffee species to 16 – an excellent discovery for research and conservation.
MBEYA This rapidly developing region is being propelled forward by a younger generation of growers who are responsible for the majority of the region’s coffee production.
RUVUMA AND MBINGA are two of the most beautiful animals on the planet. The southern highlands have only been producing coffee for a little more than 50 years, and there is a lot of room for growth in this region.