REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SLEMAN -- Department of Agriculture, Food and Fishery of Sleman District, Yogyakarta has stated that the coffee production in the plantation slopes of Mount Merapi, Sleman District, Yogyakarta, is of high quality compared to other coffee. The grade (quality) of coffee from the Merapi slopes has reached 8.5.

"In general, the grade of coffee is from 7 to 7.5," Head of Horticulture and Plantation Office of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Sleman, Edi Sri Harmanto, noted here on Saturday.

According to Harmanto, Merapi coffee has advantages over other coffee, in terms of taste and aroma. "Merapi coffee has a more refined taste, because it is planted in the volcanic area of Mount Merapi," he remarked.

The local office also continues to expand coffee plantation area on the slopes of Mount Merapi, which was almost extinct due to eruption of Merapi in 2010. "Before the eruption of Merapi in 2010, the coffee garden covered an area of 500 hectares, but now there are only 350 hectares left, consisting of 300 hectares of robusta coffee and 50 hectares of arabica coffee plantations," he conveyed.

Cultivation of Mount Merapi coffee, Yogyakarta.

Hermanto further remarked that every year, the officials rejuvenate and plant coffee seedlings in the slopes of Mount Merapi in Kepuharjo Village, Cangkringan, West Kaliurang, and Turgo Hill in Pakem Sub-district.

"Since 2012, we have rejuvenated and replanted coffee seedlings on the slopes of Mount Merapi, and we had four thousand seedlings in 2017. This year, it has increased to five thousand seedlings," he added.

The current production of Merapi coffee is only 500 kilograms per month, which is able to fulfill the needs of local markets only. "Currently, only 25 percent of Merapi coffee is distributed in hotels and cafes in Yogyakarta. Hopefully, if the coffee plantation area has been recovered, then we can initiate the expansion of this commodity in local and International markets," he pointed out.

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