The historical significance of Java coffee is not to be overlooked, as it was the first Indonesian island to cultivate the plant. Up until the early 1900’s, it commanded huge premiums along with Yemeni Mocha, often 10-15 times greater than Brazilian coffees at that time.
Most coffee farms in East Java are monocultures, however, many farmers are using permanent sub-tropical and tropical shade trees to provide 30-50% shade to their farms. The fertile volcanic soil and cooler temperatures also aid in healthy tree development. Although coffee is by far the most competitive cash crop for producers, inter-cropping is becoming more commonplace, with crops such as the vegetable bean, avocados, and even timber. Most producers are growing S795, which belongs to the Typica family. USDA 762 is also grown on the island, although in much smaller quantities. The majority of coffee grown on the island is produced by smallholders totaling 3000 hecatres, but there are still several major estates such as Blawan, Jampit, Pancoer, Kayumas and Tugosari which account for more than 4000 hectares.
