About This Coffee
The name Ratnagiri means “pearl mountains.” It alludes to the dense silver oak trees populating the hillside in and around Ratnagiri Estate. The oaks provide shade for coffee.
Ashok Patre is the latest in a long line of Patres to own and operate Ratnagiri Estate. Begun in 1927, the Patre family has been focused on producing coffee at Ratnagiri estate for nearly 100 years. In 2000, Ashok began investing in modern agricultural technology and focusing on specialty coffee production. He continues to expand the capabilities and increase quality at Ratnagiri Estate each year.
Cultivation
In addition to improving coffee quality, Ashok is also focused on protecting the environment. He uses organic fertilizer and compost to fertilize trees. Coffee trees grow under 50% shade cover, which he believes is the best way to minimize fungal infections while improving coffee quality.
The farm is fed by 2 freshwater streams. Ashok has implemented a strict protocol for processing wastewater before releasing it back into the environment.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Workers handpick ripe, red cherry and deliver it to the on-site processing mill. Throughout processing, each lot is kept separate with a label that includes the lot number, plot name, date and processing method.
At intake, cherry is pulped on an Ecopulper that has reduced water use by 65%. Then, coffee is placed in tiled tanks and fermented for 12 hours. Following fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water and then laid on parabolic dryers. Workers rake parchment frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 22 days for parchment to dry. Parchment is milled at Ratnagiri’s dry mill.
SLN6
SLN6 was created at the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI) in India. SLN stands for “selection". It came from a cross between Kent and Robusta. The offspring of that match was then crossed again with Kent. The CCRI gave SLN6 seedlings to Indian farmers in the 1970s. Seedlings were also shared with Rwanda, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Uganda in 2010. SLN6 is prized for its high yield and superb quality potential. It also begins yielding cherry in the second year, rather than the third, which is more common. It is moderately resistant to Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) and Coffee Berry Disease (CBD).
SLN9
SLN9 is a hybrid of an Ethiopian variety, Tafarikela, and Timor. SLN stands for “selection”. The variety is marked by tall trees with drooping branches and dark brown leaves. The Timor parent provides adaption for drought-like conditions while Tafarikela gives it an excellent cup quality. In 2002, an SLN9 lot won the Fine Cup Award at the Flavor of India competition.
Coffee in India
Though India is typically perceived as a tea-growing and drinking country, coffee production in the country actually predates tea. Records indicate that coffee first arrived in India in the 1600s, whereas tea did not arrive until more than 200 years later, in 1839. What does unite the two drinks, however, is that the British thirst for cheaper, more plentiful tea and coffee were the major reason that they were both first widely cultivated on plantations across India.
Coffee farms are typically situated between 700 and 1,200 meters above sea level. Most coffee cultivation is ‘traditional’ and two-tier shade canopies are mixed with leguminous, nitrogen-fixing trees. In this method, it is very common for coffee trees to be intercropped with spices (like vanilla or pepper) and fruit trees.
After harvest, which is most often done by hand by family members or hired laborers, cherry is usually processed as Natural or Fully washed. Most farms dry coffee on patios or tables, though some of the larger estates also have mechanical dryers.
Today, approximately 30% of coffee production is consumed internally. The other 70% is prepared for export.