The historical pagoda in their village gives rise to the name Pha Yar Ghi Kone, whereafter the community is named. There are 250 households in the community, with ten registered producers and 150 registered cooperative members. This is the first time we have purchased from this community, neighbours to the other coffee community in the Shan State we have visited and bought from, Ga Naing Yar.
Myanmar produces both fully washed and naturally processed coffees. The climate is perfect for natural processing because of the dry heat during harvest season. Relative to other, more humid, coffee-producing nations, the dry heat minimizes the potential for negative fermentation. This is important, as processing coffee naturally can be risky for producers, since if coffee buyers detect any taints, producers will receive a lesser price than had they processed the coffee as a washed. Having a nice dry heat shortens the natural drying cycle of the coffee cherries and reduces negative ferment, which can affect the cup if the process takes too long. This results in a clarity and vibrancy to this coffee, which is hard to find in other producing nations.
