Burundi Micosta Natural (Lot G15)

Orange, chocolate, vanilla ice cream, spice
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Bag Weight 60 KG BAG
Harvest Season 2023/24
Status Spot
Lot Number P8002332-1
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About This Coffee

Micosta is an processor and exporter based in the north of Muyinga Province. Micosta was founded in 2,000 in collaboration with Sogestal Kirundo-Muyinga and works with over 3,750 farmers. When the Burundian government liberalised the coffee sector,Micosta bought their first washing station in 2012 and named it Ndava after the hill on which it is located. In 2015 they built their second washing station, Miwuga.

This lot is milled and exported by Ikawa Nziza which began in 2013 as a partnership between the owners of Cafex mill and Schluter (now Covoya Europe), specifically aimed at building and promoting the specialty coffee production in Burundi. Ikawa Nziza’s mill is the first purpose-built specialty drymill in Burundi, situated at altitude and designed to cater for high-quality microlot coffees.

Origin Burundi
Subregion Muyinga Province
Harvest Season 2023/24
Producer Type Small Holder Farmers
Dry Mill Ikawa Nziza
Processing Natural/Dry Processed
Growing Altitude 1600m - 1650m
Plant Species Arabica
Variety Bourbon
Coffee Grade BDI CA NAT SPY SC 15+
Screen Size 15 Up
Bag Weight 60 KG BAG
Bag Types Grain Pro / Ecotact

History of Coffee in Burundi

During colonization, Belgians forced the people of Burundi to grow coffee to pay taxes, an all too familiar story. So, it is understandable that after independence, the farmers of Burundi were less than enthusiastic about growing coffee and there was almost no focus on quality. When world coffee prices dropped to historic lows 20 years ago, prices paid to farmers by government run washing stations were so low that coffee was smuggled into neighboring countries to be sold as Rwandan or Tanzanian coffee. When prices began to rise and become relatively stable, Burundi coffee farmers in the northern highlands did not forget that Rwanda received better prices for quality. The coffee farmers of Burundi began to emulate some of what was happening in Rwanda, forming cooperatives and seeking ways to improve quality

The Process

Ripe cherries (superior quality) are selected from daily pickings, and sun-dried on raised African beds, being turned every 2 hours for the initial days for even fermentation, and covered during the midday heat to prevent sun damage. The drying process takes an average of 22 days.

Once optimum moisture levels have been reached, the coffee is transported for milling at Ikawa Nziza’s drymill in Gashoho commune between the towns of Ngozi and Muyinga. The mill is designed to cater to small, traceable microlots. Its location in a high altitude (1,730masl) and low humidity environment provides the optimal environment to preserve the quality of the coffee and therefore demand higher prices for farmers. From there the processed coffee is handpicked, bagged in Grainpro and then trucked to Mombasa for shipment.

 

  • Subregion Muyinga Province
  • Producer Type Small Holder Farmers
  • Dry Mill Ikawa Nziza
  • Processing Natural/Dry Processed
  • Bag Types Grain Pro / Ecotact
  • Plant Species Arabica
  • Variety Bourbon
  • Min Growing Altitude 1600m
  • Max Growing Altitude 1650m
  • Screen Size 15 Up
  • On Sale No
  • Top Lot No
  • Price Per Kg €6.95
  • Status Spot
  • Coffee Grade BDI CA NAT SPY SC 15+
  • CTRM Contract Number P8002332-1
  • Origin Burundi
  • Warehouse Vollers Hamburg