Socio-cultural-based coffee management in Karo Regency

Abstract

Specialty coffee is the one which is referred to specific coffee due to its high quality and its production process which has been certified. The objective of this study was to analyze how far the coffee plant cultivation was redeveloped in Karo Regency, why the Karonese farmers did not grow specialty coffee and what socio-cultural factors influenced it. The result of the research showed that coffee growers in Karo Regency grew coffee because they followed the market trend, the rising price of coffee. However, they still grow coffee traditionally such as preparing seedlings by themselves, not doing fertilizing and trimming, not planting shade trees, selling their coffee in the form of coffee green beans and cherries since they need cash quickly and coffee high price. They do not dry, process, roast, store, and standardize thecoffee powder packaging. It is recommended that the coffee growers in Karo Regency change the pattern of cultivation and post-harvesting to keep coffee productivity and price high and sustainable.