Header | Description |
---|---|
Region | Kayanza |
Growth height | 1672 m |
A variety | Red Bourbon |
Processing method | Washed |
Taste Filter: lime, kiwi, grapes. | |
Espresso: kiwi, almond, grape. |
The coffee processing station "Masha" is named the same as the hill on which it stands. In fact, the hill is more famous for its cattle than for its coffee. The name "Masha" comes from the word "amasho" in the Kirundi language, which means "herds of cattle". The foothills were a crossroads for many herds in the region. Many local shepherds greet each other with a unique phrase used only in this region. They say: "gira amasho", which means "owner of cows".
Masha station was built in 1989. Most of the farmers who supply cherries are subsistence farmers. Farmers alternate their trees with food and other cash crops to feed and support their families.
Many of the trees in Burundi are of the Red Bourbon variety. Due to the increasingly smaller size of coffee plantations, rootstock aging is a very big problem in Burundi. Many farmers have trees that are over 50 years old, but with small plots it is difficult to justify taking the trees completely out of production for the 3-4 years that new plantings will need to start producing. To encourage farmers to renew their plantations, Greenco purchases seeds from the Institute of Agricultural Sciences of Burundi (ISABU), establishes nurseries and sells seedlings to farmers at or below cost. At the washing station, farmers can also get organic fertilizer made from composted coffee grounds.
Despite the widespread cultivation of coffee in Burundi, each smallholder produces a relatively small crop. The average small farmer has approximately 250 trees, usually in their backyard. Each tree produces an average of 1.5 kilograms of coffee beans, so the average grower sells about 200-300 kilograms of coffee beans per year.
Burundi Masha
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