Our Coffee Farm
Blooming
The event of the coffee blooming is a spectacle of the nature. It occurs between September and October and lasts approximately one week. During this stage it is essential to provide the right amount of water, in order to guarantee the production of quality fruits and a uniform harvest.
Harvesting
The harvest takes place between May and August. Our harvest is done manually (hand picked). A large piece of cloth is put under the trees in order to avoid the contact of the beans with the soil, preventing fermentation and guaranteeing ideal conditions to the pulping. First the ripe fruits are hand picked - they are easier to pulp. Later on, the same trees are harvested with the same objective - pick the ripe fruits.
Approximately 500 people work directly in the coffee harvesting. They are brought to work early in the morning from Counties, districts and villages by the company vehicles. Later in the afternoon they are driven back. For the workers that overnight at the farm, the company offers adequate lodging, with bathroom and a "community kitchen" for the meals preparation.
Sarpa pays every employee according to the current labor legislation, and also gives an extra bonus that is calculated by productivity.
Being socially conscious, the company decided NOT to mechanize the coffee harvest, enabling this way the participation of a large number of people benefiting from this productive process, and therefore becoming a very important agent providing work and salary to its region.