The Leas - (Southern Shan) | Notes of: Cranberry, Toffee & Cacao Nibs

Our Ywangan coffee comes from Mandalay Coffee Group (MCG) and consists of combined daily lots grown by predominantly Danu and some Pa-O hill-tribe smallholder farmers in the remote mountainous area of Ywangan, Southern Shan state, Myanmar.

MCG was formed in 2014 and is owned entirely by citizens of Myanmar. It works with these smallholders, providing support as well as processing the coffee and bringing it to market. The company is based in the town of Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay Division.

For this season, MCG worked with over 50 smallholder farmers, each of whom cultivates approximately 0.25-3 acres of land, with coffee plants intercropped with a variety of produce such as avocados, jackfruit, papaya, macadamia and djenkol beans. Coffee varieties include about 80% Red Catuai, 10% S-795 and 10% Costa Rica T8667, Caturra, and San Ramon.

The different types of trees act as a buffer to the spread of leaf rust and provide much needed shade, for both the coffee and the families who welcome the shade around their homes. Most of the farmers do not use fertiliser, but there is a big difference in quality and yield from the wealthier farmers that can use manure from their cattle.

 The cherries from each of these smallholders are dropped off at one of the village’s collection points, usually a conveniently located smallholder’s home. The agent working on behalf of MCG will then inspect, grade and purchase the cherry and advise whether any further sorting is required. The agent has a long history in the area having previously traded oranges, which used to be grown in large volumes here. He is able to support farmers depending on their individual circumstances, e.g. providing payment in advance or fertiliser.

Within 48 hours of picking, the hand sorted cherry is collected in trucks and transported to MCG’s processing mill in Pyin Oo Lwin, about 5 hours’ drive away. Coffee that is rejected for the specialty export market is usually dried on the ground and sold in the domestic market, meaning there is very little waste. Once the cherry arrives at MCG’s mill it is floated, pulped and fermented overnight in tiled tanks that maintain lot separation. Parchment is then rinsed in a mechanical demucilager and sent to dry on concrete patios. Cherry pulp gets sent back to farms immediately for fertiliser, and waste water is treated on the facility before being eventually released as extra fertigation for coffee trees