About This Coffee
Railaco Natural is produced in the lush highlands of the Railaco Administrative Post in Ermera, Timor-Leste. Carefully processed by Timor Global, a pioneering coffee company in East Timor, this coffee reflects the dedication and expertise of smallholder farmers and processing innovators.
Timor Global was founded in 2005 with a vision to revitalize the country’s coffee sector. With government approval, they restored 3,000 hectares of dormant farmland and have since increased specialty coffee production to 50% of all their output. Beyond coffee, Timor Global is committed to community development, partnering with NGOs to combat child malnutrition through fortified food production.
This naturally processed coffee is selected with precision, ensuring only the best cherries undergo the drying process.
Cultivation
Grown in the fertile highlands of Ermera, one of Timor-Leste’s prime coffee regions, Railaco coffees benefit from rich volcanic soil and an ideal microclimate. Smallholder farmers cultivate a mix of coffee varieties, including Typica and Timor Hybrid varieties, at elevations ranging from 1,200 to 1,600 meters above sea level.
Coffee Production in Timor Leste (East Timor) has faced many challenges over the years, including complex land ownership structures, transport infrastructure issues and lack of access to information about processing and cultivation. Timor Global has played a key role in introducing better farming practices, training farmers to improve harvesting techniques and invest in processing infrastructure. By also promoting intercropping with konjac, passion fruit, black pepper, and legumes, they support farmers in diversifying their income while enhancing soil health.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
The coffee harvest in Ermera typically takes place from June to September, with farmers selectively handpicking only ripe cherries. Timor Global rigorously evaluates each lot to determine its suitability for natural processing, ensuring optimal quality.
For the natural process, freshly harvested cherries are laid out to dry on raised beds or patios, where they are carefully turned to ensure even drying and prevent over-fermentation. Given the challenges of transportation and infrastructure in Timor-Leste, maintaining strict drying protocols is crucial to preserving cup quality.
With its dedication to quality and community impact, Timor Global continues to shape the future of Timor-Leste’s coffee industry, and Railaco Natural is a prime example of its success.
Coffee in Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste has had a long and tumultuous history that has seen colonization, several occupations, independence and a long and difficult path to peace. Coffee has played a role in Timor-Leste’s economy since the beginning of the country’s modern history.
While coffee production in Timor-Leste continues to expand and quality continues to improve, the climate presents difficulties. The arid weather and short rainy season make it difficult for coffee cherry to grow. On top of contrarian weather, the low nutrient-content in the soil and negligible access to fertilizers and pesticides makes it more difficult for coffee trees to thrive. The average farmer currently collects only about 500 grams of green coffee per tree (2-3 kg cherry).
Timor-Leste’s coffee industry is prevailing in the face of these difficulties. Both quality and productivity are rapidly increasing. Small changes are increasing coffee quality by leaps and bounds, while several programs, funded by NGOs, are working to fundamentally change coffee harvesting and processing in the country.
The government is also playing a role in improving coffee quality by investing in infrastructure, such as new roads, that will make transporting both cherry and parchment easier. Timor-Leste is poised to be a reliable producer of good quality and versatile coffees.
We’re proud to be active in Timor-Leste. We work alongside farmers, cooperatives and agricultural extension officers to help farmers increase yields and quality. Our goal is to work with our partners to help farmers reach an average yield of 2.5 kilograms per tree while also increasing quality. Higher production and higher quality will mean larger incomes for farmers.