The Pamanukan and Tjiasem lands (often referred to as P & T Lands) is intricately woven into rich history of coffee. The estates, nestled in the verdant landscapes of West Java, Indonesia, bear witness to a timeless history of coffee cultivation and the enduring legacy of the Hofland family, who have nurtured these lands for generations.
However, in the cultivation of Coffee, growers have to occasionally deal with deal with, pests and diseases that can ruin a coffee harvest - and your delightful cup of coffee. One of these disease, coffee leaf disease, particularly coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix), has had a significant impact on coffee production and consequently changed our the consumption of coffee.
Coffee leaf rust was first reported by an English explorer on wild Coffea Arabica species in the Lake Victoria region of East Africa in 1861. In 1869, H. J. Berkeley and his assistant, described the fungus they found in the Gardeners' Chronicle, associating with the disease on some dried coffee leaves sent from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). They gave the name Hemileia vastatrix to the devastating fungus with half-smooth spores.
Coffee leaf rust, is a devastating fungal disease that specifically targets coffee plants, particularly the Coffea arabica species.
Impact on Java
Traditionally, coffee grown in Indonesia was Coffea Arabica. This, however, changes after the Coffee leaf rust outbreak. In 1876, as a result of the outbreak coffee production and export of coffee from Java decreased just 38% of the growth and export only one year earlier.
Seeing the devastation, the large coffee estates, including the Pamanukan and Tjiasem lands imported Coffeea liberica from western and central Africa to replace Coffea Arabica.
The Liberica plants proved to be stronger than Coffea Arabica, but before it gave significant results to the market, the leaf rust returned and most of the Coffeea liberica plants were impacted.
Later in 1907 Coffea canephora (syn. Coffea robusta) was introduced in Java, a coffee plant that is known for being resistant to disease. With this, the Arabica plantations primarily continued in Sumatra, especially in the plateau to avoid severe leaf rust, while Robusta was planted in the old estates in Sumatra and Java.
Today, Robusta makes up over 88% of Indonesia’s output. Ans as a result, the country’s large production volume sets its rank as the fourth biggest coffee producer in the world.
Here's an overview of the coffee rust crisis in Java:
Discovery and Spread of Coffee Rust
- Coffee rust was first reported in the East Africa region in the late 19th century. However, it was first identified in 1861 in the Lake Victoria region of Africa.
- The disease spread to Asia, reaching Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) by 1869, where it wiped out the majority of the coffee plantations within 20 years, leading to a switch to tea cultivation.
- By the 1870s, coffee rust made its presence known in Java, which was then under Dutch colonial rule and a significant region for Arabica coffee production.
Impact on Java's Coffee Production
- The impact of coffee rust in Java was significant and rapid. The disease attacks the leaves of the coffee plant, causing them to fall off, eventually leading to the tree's death or severely reducing its fruit production.
- Arabica coffee, the primary species grown on the island at the time, was almost entirely wiped out.
- Estates and smallholder farmers alike faced massive agricultural and economic hardships as coffee yields plummeted.
Response and Shift in Coffee Cultivation
- Faced with the decimation of Arabica crops, the large coffee estates in Java searched for alternatives.
- This quest led to the more resistant Coffea canephora species, commonly known as robusta coffee, being introduced and adopted across Java
- Robusta proved to be much hardier and less susceptible to rust, saving the Javanese coffee industry from collapse.
Long-Term Effects
- The shift from Arabica to robusta altered Java's coffee flavor profile; although robusta is less acclaimed for its flavors compared to Arabica, it offered practical resilience to the disease.
- Javanese coffee moved from being predominantly composed of high-quality Arabica to a blend that primarily included robusta beans, changing the overall characteristics of Javanese coffee on the global market.
- The coffee rust crisis accelerated research into disease-resistant plant varieties and spurred the growth of scientific agricultural practices within the coffee industry.
Modern Coffee Rust Management
- Despite the switch to robusta, the coffee rust fungus remains a threat to coffee production worldwide.
- Contemporary efforts to address coffee rust include developing resistant cultivars, implementing better farm management practices, applying fungicides where acceptable, and using shade trees to improve the health and resilience of coffee plants
- The coffee rust outbreak in Java serves as a pivotal point in coffee history that shaped how and what type of coffee was produced, influencing both the local agriculture economy and the global coffee trade.
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The unique history of Java Original Coffee remains our driving force, creating a line of artisan roasted coffees while maintaining our family’s history & values. Java Original® Coffee is available around the globe, offering artisan roasted specialty coffee to retailers and individuals alike.
Photo courtesy: Clint McKoy on Unsplash. Used with permission.