Delicious Coffee Begins with the right "Mekopi" Picking Process

Posted on 19/10/2020

Delicious coffee is produced from a long process before it becomes ready-to-drink coffee brew. One of them is the correct and precise process of picking coffee beans.

Toraja is recognized as one of the highest quality coffee producing regions in the country of Indonesia. And the Torajans (people from Toraja) call this coffee picking activity as “Mekopi”.

PT. Sulotco Jaya Abadi which is located in Bolokan, Lembang Tiroan, Bittuang District, Tana Toraja Regency, has immediately implemented the correct "Mekopi" process to ensure the quality of coffee drinks produced from their coffee beans.

Engaged in the cultivation and trading system of coffee with an area of 1,200 hectares which is divided into 3 working areas, namely Asri, Barakai, and Citra, the company annually conducts coffee picking activities or Mekopi

The coffee harvesting began in May, which began with "panen bubuk", this is the activity of taking coffee cherries that are infected with PBKo Pests (Hypothenemus Hampey).

The peak of the harvest season occurs from July to September which is marked by the optimal color change of the coffee cherries from green to red (95%). During the big harvest season, dozens of partner employees will be involved in picking coffee, including students who are doing “Pengalaman Kerja Praktek Mahasiswa (PKPM)” or Student Practical Work Experience from Pangkep State Agricultural Polytechnic. They were taught directly on techniques in cultivating coffee and good harvesting procedures at this company.

Employees and students will pick coffee according to their work areas and only the optimum red color of coffee is picked. They are not allowed to pick raw fruit (green) or underripe fruit (yellow) because it will affect the quality of the coffee beans.

There is a gradual rotation system that is applied in harvesting coffee, for example, today the coffee fruit has been harvested, it will be harvested again in the next 14 days (2 weeks). Usually in one working area up to 4 to 5 rotations of picking

After passing the peak of the main harvest season, the next stage is the "Racutan" harvest, this harvest is carried out on coffee cherries from trees that do not ripen, usually the tree leaves have fallen and the fruit is only about 10%, this could be due to pests or diseases " Rust of Coffee Leaves ". Picked or "racut" coffee cherries are dark green or yellow colored fruits.

And the last stage in harvesting is the "Lelesan" harvest, this stage is done when the coffee cherries fall to the ground or are eaten by rats

PT. Sulotco Jaya Abadi places great emphasis on quality in each of its products. In principle, only from the right process will produce a delicious cup of coffee with a high taste.