PROPAGATION METHODS & COMMON PRACTICES
Seed Selection
The quality of selected seeds depends on the selection of mother plants.
Mother plant are from required species & varieties, consistently high yielding plant, free from insect pests, more than 8 years old, above from 800m, shorter internode, bold and similar size cherry, ability to withstand longer dry period with good physical appearance.
Harvesting of cherry from the selected mother plant is done at the right time, when the cherry is fully ripened. Over ripe, immature, broken, wounded, infested cherries are neglected. Processing (sorting, pulp removal & drying) & storage is done properly. Coffee seeds are stored in cool & dry places.
Seed Method
Direct seed in Land
In this method, seeds are directly placed in land for propagation or by default disbursed in land.
Direct seed in Polybag
In this method, instead of preparing seedbed, seeds are directly placed in polybag for seedling raising.
Seedbed Method
In this method, seeds are first placed in the seedbed with special care for maximum percentage of germination. In matchstick or butterfly stage, it’s transferred into a polybag for growing. The seedlings of 10-18 months are ready for transplantation into the field.
LAND & LAND PREPARATION FOR COFFEE PLANT
Coffee grown in higher altitudes has better quality. Basically coffee in Nepal is grown from 900 m up to 2000 meters with no frost occurrence. Based on this fact, choice of land, its preparation & planting is done to get optimum productivity.
HARVESTING TECHNIQUES FOR QUALITY PRODUCTION
Harvesting period in Nepal Starts from November to April, however it also depends on altitude. Coffee picking is done at the right time at a bright red stage, not overripe or under ripe. At this stage, the bean can be squeezed out from the pulp by applying light pressure between finger and thumb.
Coffee Arabica is the number one type of coffee grown in Nepal, and the quality of Arabica coffee, which is grown in Nepal, is regarded highly in the international market.
Coffee farming in Nepal has given the world a new type of coffee- Himalayan Arabica refers to Coffee Arabica, which is responsible for around 75% of the world’s commercial coffee crop, there is a slight twist in the original Arabica Coffee, and Himalayan Arabica Coffee, which is due to the difference of soil, which is moist and dense with nutrients, water, high altitude, and the climate of Nepal.
At this point, “More” an Association of America, Specialty Coffee” and many others have recognized the coffee produced in Nepal as a high standard coffee, and Nepal as a country with an ideal environment for producing great quality coffee.