Batang Coffee Farmers Begin Main Harvest, Prices Tend to Be Stable This Year

Batang – Coffee farmers in Batang Regency have begun the main harvest season, which is expected to last for the next 1.5 to 2 months. Several farmers have started picking fully ripe coffee cherries that have turned red, particularly in the highland areas that serve as the main production centers for Batang’s premium coffee.

One coffee farmer from Reban Subdistrict, Maaruf, said that coffee prices this harvest season are relatively stable, although there has been a slight decline in some processed varieties.

“The price of regular robusta red cherry is currently around Rp10,000 to Rp12,000 per kilogram. For regular green bean, it’s around Rp50,000 per kilogram — last year it could reach Rp55,000,” he said when met at a coffee plantation in Reban Subdistrict, Batang Regency, on Wednesday (20/5/2026).

Premium green bean coffee still commands a high price, reaching Rp70,000 per kilogram. According to Maaruf, most farmers in Batang still prefer to sell their coffee in its unprocessed (asalan) form because harvesting is done in mixed stages — from green to red cherries.

“We harvest everything together because farmers are worried about increased theft as the main harvest approaches. If the cherries are left too long to ripen on the tree, they often become targets for thieves,” he explained.

He added that farmers usually begin harvesting when around 70% of the cherries on a tree have turned red, to minimize the risk of losing their crop. On average, one coffee tree produces about 10 kilograms of cherries per season. His own plantation, which has around 1,000 trees, is targeting up to 10 tons of harvest this year.

“I hope we can harvest up to 10 tons from my garden alone this year, not including what other farmers produce,” he said.

Maaruf also noted that although premium coffee fetches a higher price due to strict sorting, he doesn’t mind harvesting earlier if it means protecting his crop.

In addition to focusing on production, coffee farmers in Batang Regency are actively promoting their local coffee to gain wider national recognition. One initiative is the Manual Brew Competition, scheduled for June 14, 2026.

“We want to make Batang coffee more widely known. There will be a manual brew competition to introduce Batang coffee to people outside the region,” he said.

Maaruf expressed hope that the local government and security forces will help ensure the safety of coffee plantations, especially during the peak harvest season.

“We hope there will be more attention to the security of farmers’ coffee gardens so that Batang’s quality coffee isn’t stolen,” he concluded.