Page 86 - 90_EN_POPULARITY

C
Despite my wanderlust and love for travel, I never had
the opportunity to visit Thailand, so I wanted to learn more
about this special coffee scene. I sought to understand more
about coffee in Thailand, from production and experimen-
tal processing techniques at the farm level, to the emergence
of world-class coffees on the competition stage, to con-
sumption trends within the historically tea-drinking coun-
try. Through online research and interviews with people
familiar with the scene, I have gained a new appreciation
for this little-known producing country.
Someday I’ll get to travel there to experience the coffee
and culture firsthand. But until then, let’s travel to Thailand
together and explore the coffee scene through this article!
Cultivation and Production at a Glance
Coffee cultivation was introduced in Thailand rela- gions, with more rainfall and higher humidity. About 80,000
tively recently and has seen tremendous growth within a
few decades. The Thai government, under the direction of
King Bhumibol Adulyadej launched a series of coffee culti-
vation programs in the 1970s to encourage local communi-
ties to grow cash crops and lead them away from opium
poppy production. Jordan told me, “This program was quite
successful and opium poppy fields were fairly quickly re-
placed with coffee farms.” Thailand started exporting coffee
in 1976. Jordan continued, “At that time most of the arabi-
ca was grown for export, or for use in large mass market
coffee companies such as Nestle or Moccona. Although the
government really promoted coffee growing, there were
many challenges for local farmers, like low market prices,
and insufficient expertise or education on coffee produc-
tion. For a while, things were pretty bleak, with little inter- varietals and creative processes, that there is no real ‘stand- Katisomsakul also told me stories of farmers who
national interest in Thai coffee due to it being predominant- ard profile.’ There is a ton of variety.”
ly the Catimor variety.” Despite those challenges, Thai
coffee cultivation grew.
Jordan told me “There was a breakthrough in the
late 90’s when coffee shop culture started to take root and
spread across Thailand, creating a thriving domestic mar-
ket.” From that point on, most Thai-grown coffee has re-
mained within the country.
Another reason Thai coffee is consumed in Thailand
is because outside coffee is expensive. Jordan told me there
is a “90% tariff on imported coffee. This encourages con-
sumers to look to locally grown coffee instead of consuming
imported beans.” As consumption grew through the 90s and
00s, the most affordable option was home-grown.
Thailand produces both Arabica and Robusta coffees.
Arabica cultivation is concentrated in the north where the
farms benefit from higher elevations and cooler overnight
temperatures. Northern Thailand produces 10,000 tons of
Arabica coffee, plus around 30,000 pounds of Robusta.
However, Robusta is grown primarily in the southern re-
86
There was a breakthrough in the late
90’s when coffee shop culture started to
take root and spread across Thailand,
creating a thriving domestic market.
He planted a few trees and his neighbors took notice.
tons of Robusta is grown in the south. Before he got there, Kaleb told me, “About 50% of young
According to Katisomsakul, the main specialty Ara- people would leave to go find work in big cities or other
bica varieties produced in Thailand are Catimor, Yellow, provinces. Many times this resulted in enslavement, drug
and Red Bourbon, and Java. He tells me that in recent years addictions, and other problems. Since beginning to grow
coffee producers have been experimenting with different coffee (and other high-value crops), there have been al-
varieties and fermentation techniques borrowed from most no young people leaving the community for outside
producers in other countries, primarily Colombia and employment. In fact, they are a source of employment for
Panama. The result is higher quality coffees with fruitier, other nearby communities.” Kaleb mentioned that other
more distinctive flavors. factors, including agricultural opportunities due to less
Jordan agrees. When asked if there is a typical flavor sustainable crops such as ginger and cassava, have influ-
profile of Thai coffee, he tells me, “10 years ago, it used to enced the retention of young people in his community,
be known as kind of rough, but heavy chocolaty body with along with coffee. He continues to encourage members of
maybe some stone fruit and floral notes. I think that’s back his community and surrounding areas to focus on coffee
when it was mostly washed Catimor. Now there are so many due to its longer-term sustainable benefits.
have greatly benefited from a focus on specialty coffee.
One farmer had a small shack for a house when he began,
Coffee as a Catalyst to Socioeconomic but has been able to build a large home for his family.
Change Villages in the north had no electricity and had to take
cold showers each day, but have been able to bring
As a coffee producer, Jordan runs Gem Forest Coffee electricity to their area with their earnings. Another
in Northern Thailand. Jordan grew up in Thailand, spent a farmer never thought he would be able to see the cap-
few years in the United States where he learned to roast, ital city of Bangkok, but was able to fly there. The trip
and returned to his home country around 2005. “I began opened his mind and changed his outlook on what is
growing different varietals of coffee in a small mountain possible through coffee.
village in Northern Thailand. This project started as an
effort to provide the local farmers with better local options Challenges to Coffee Production
for livelihood,” he explains. At that time, he noticed many
of his neighbors’ families were breaking apart because there Despite the accelerating growth within specialty
were no employment opportunities locally. People - espe- coffee production, farmers are experiencing hardships
cially the entrepreneurial ones - would move to the city to related to a changing climate. This year, Katisomsakul
find jobs. It was difficult for families to stay intact and for explained, Thailand saw a massive reduction in coffee
communities to retain talent. Kaleb had the insight that if production due to increased rainfall as a result of climate
jobs were available in the area, perhaps people would stay change. If a “normal” year is 100% production, Thailand
with their families in the villages and thrive. was only able to produce 35% this year.
87