Ambatomenaloha Coffee Region

General Background Madagascar is primarily a Robusta producer (around 98% of production) with small amounts of Arabica grown in the highlands and efforts are under way to expand arabica production as the quality potential is considered excellent. There is a tiny production of speciality Arabica of the Bourbon variety produced in Madagascar. Sea Island Coffee has secured a very limited volume of this outstanding Madagascar Bourbon coffee and is offering it for the first time to its customers.

Coffee production averaged 1.1 million bags during the 1980s but fell sharply in the 90s with a low of between 300,000 and 400,000 bags in the year 2000.

Production and exports fluctuate sharply owing to occasional cyclone damage – the impact of individual severe cyclones is clearly visible in longer term export statistics. Exports averaged 535,000 bags in the five years from 1996 to 2000 but this hides a peak of 796,000 bags in 1999 and a low of just 216,000 bags in 2000. The last restrictions on coffee exports were removed in 1997 and the trade in coffee is now entirely liberalized.

Coffee in Madagascar is almost entirely produced by smallholders, some 350,000 of whom account for 90% of the total coffee cultivated area. They are widely dispersed, often in areas that are not easily accessible. The average farm measures 1 - 1.5 hectares and coffee is typically grown on just 10 - 15% of this area.

A number of growers exploit coffee trees that have literally become wild (forest crop), simply once a year, stripping whatever cherry makes it to that point.

The Malagache are coffee drinkers by tradition but domestic consumption growth is restricted by adverse economic conditions – current estimates put the total at about 180,000 bags annually, of which about 20,000 bags are Arabica. This unwashed Arabica can be considered as very good. Furthermore, a small portion of this Arabica is certified Organic (Bio).

Ambatomenaloha Coffee Region

The coffee our company is offering is entirely produced in the Ambatomenaloha region, one of the main arabica producing areas in country. This region is  located 160 km southwest of the Capital city Antananarivo.

Coffee cultivation in this region ranges from 1,200 to 1,600 metres above sea level. Harvesting occurs between April through June. Average smallholding is around 0.2 hectares, with an average of 200 trees.

Ambatomenaloha coffee growing region is blessed with rich volcanic soils. This coffee is of the Bourbon variety, naturally fermented, and fully sun-dried.