BANKO TARATU

BANKO TARATU

Origin: Ethiopia – Yirgacheffe (Halo Beriti, Gedeb)

Producer: Gedeb Banko Taratu Washing Station

Variety: JARC 74110, JARC 74112

Altitude: 2,100m - 2,300m

Process: Washed

Drying: African Beds 

Aromatic notes: Apricot, White Flowers, Bergamot, Lemongrass, Peach

Harvest: December → February

Origin and Production

Located in the Kayanza region, northern Burundi, the Nemba washing station is managed by Greenco. It works with 1,074 producers whose farms are located at an altitude of over 1,700m, near the Kibila forest, and comprise an average of 150 coffee trees.

Greenco and the Nemba Washing Station support these producers by providing them with equipment, advice on adopting the best agricultural practices adapted to their farms, and also by supplying them with coffee plants to renew their stock.

Indeed, due to the fragmentation and small size of each producer's plots, many of them have coffee trees over 50 years old, reducing their productivity. However, it is impossible for them to replace them and wait 3 to 4 years for the newly planted trees to come into production. To encourage them to renew their trees, Greenco buys seeds, grows the plants in their nurseries, and then distributes them when they are ready to produce.

Furthermore, through the work of our partner Sucafina, by purchasing our Burundian coffees, we fund livestock that is distributed to producers to ensure them a certain stability and enable their economic development.

This may seem anecdotal, but in a country where the unemployment rate is frequently above 50%, coffee production and associated programs are clearly the main driver of economic development.

Greenco is thus the largest employer in the Kayanza region during harvest season, and similarly, the Budeca processing station (sorting and bagging) employs over 10% of the population of Burundi's capital, Gitega.

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Process

This coffee is produced using the Natural process with an Intenso yeast inoculation.

This means that once harvested and brought to the processing station, the cherries are placed in containers where an Intenso yeast strain (Saccharomyces

cerevisiae) developed by the Lalcafé laboratory is added for approximately 36 hours of fermentation.

This yeast was specially developed to improve cup quality. It works very well at low temperatures (minimum 15°C), which allows for good control of fermentation and promotes the development of fruity notes and citric acidity, bringing freshness to the cup.

The cherries are then placed on one of the 200 raised tables at the Nemba station to dry for 2 to 3 weeks. They are also regularly turned manually to ensure uniform drying and to perform an initial sorting.