Timor-Leste Loclo Washed ***87 Cup Score!

Timor-Leste currently faces enormous economic upheaval, as its oil reserves begin to run dry. In its place, coffee is set to become that nation’s most vital export. In Timor-Leste, our work is currently focused namely in the municipality of Ermera. One of thirteen municipalities in the country, it is home to the largest coffee production volumes, whilst almost 60% of the municipality's population live below the poverty line. Coffee is Timor-Leste’s most important crop, and with the end of oil income, improving the coffee sector is of critical importance. Coffee is the second-highest earner for the country after oil, with 37% of households depend on coffee for income.

The Atsabe Wet Mill Our first custom wet mill and processing centre in Timor Leste was built in April 2018, in Atsabe, Ermera. All designed in-house, this processing centre uses gravity to move coffee through the stages, no double handling, no unnecessary machinery. We drew upon our experience working in many other coffee-producing countries to combine elements that would most likely improve Ermera’s coffee quality given the unique set of challenges facing the region. Each section of the plan uses materials that are local and readily available. The Atsabe wet mill serves as a central hub for processing the cherry of the producers we work with across the Ermera municipality. Sitting at 1400 MASL, the wet mill has served not only as a place to purchase, process, and dry cherry, but as a meeting point for the village chiefs and neighborhood leaders, and Raw Material. Expanding the reach of specialty coffee as a viable option for profitable returns includes the importance of training. The Atsabe Wet Mill has successfully served as the hub for training courses in both cultivation, picking, and processing for local producers.