Why Yunnan Small Bean Coffee is Considered Poor Quality in China: An Analysis of Why Yunnan Coffee Beans Taste Bad

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Yunnan Small Bean Coffee

China's coffee cultivation is concentrated in Yunnan Province and Hainan Province, with Dehong in Yunnan having larger production, with an annual output of about 26,000 tons in recent years, accounting for 90% of the country's total production. It is said that small bean coffee was introduced by the French about 70-80 years ago. The main variety is Arabica, the so-called small bean coffee, commonly known as Yunnan Dehong small bean coffee in China.

Yunnan's high-quality geographical and climatic conditions provide favorable conditions for the growth of small bean coffee. The planting areas include places such as Lincang, Baoshan, Simao, Xishuangbanna, and Dehong. Yunnan's natural conditions are very similar to those of Colombia, namely low latitude, high altitude, and large temperature differences between day and night. The small bean coffee produced there has been analyzed through cupping and belongs to the mellow aroma type, with quality and taste similar to Colombian coffee.

Export and Acquisition of Small Bean Coffee

Due to various reasons, the development speed of Yunnan's coffee industry has not been rapid. Small bean coffee is mainly exported as raw material, with exports of about 15,000 tons in 2006. More than 60% of small bean coffee raw materials are acquired by Nestlé and Maxwell House each year. In recent years, Starbucks and Amway have also joined the ranks of acquirers. Due to the lack of deep processing and market promotion, the popularity of small bean coffee remains low, with the treasures remaining unrecognized in remote mountains.

Coffee quality is determined by various factors such as the growing environment, climate, and cultivation management techniques. The best growing environment for small bean coffee is low latitude, high altitude, sufficient rainfall, and appropriate sunlight. Therefore, the area between 15° north latitude and the Tropic of Cancer is the ideal growing zone for coffee. However, other regions in this zone such as Hawaii, USA, and Saudi Arabia either have low altitude or are deserts with little rain, which are unfavorable for coffee growth. Only southern Yunnan in this zone happens to possess all the necessary conditions.

According to expert measurements, small bean coffee should be planted on mountainous land at altitudes of 800-1800 meters. If the altitude is too high, the taste becomes sour; if too low, it becomes bitter. Most small bean coffee is planted in dry, hot valley areas around 1100 meters altitude, resulting in moderate acidity, rich fragrance, and mellow smoothness. In terms of climate conditions, southern Yunnan has long sunlight hours, which is beneficial for plant growth and photosynthesis. Additionally, the large temperature difference between day and night means low nighttime temperatures, which is beneficial for the accumulation of coffee nutrients. Therefore, the effective nutritional content of Yunnan small bean coffee is higher than other foreign coffee varieties.

It is believed that with the in-depth development of Yunnan's coffee industry, the rise in domestic coffee market demand, and the efforts of the government and enterprises from all aspects, small bean coffee will surely usher in a new period of development.

Knowledge Expansion

Most of the coffee currently planted in Yunnan is Catimor, a hybrid variety that is a cross between the Caturra branch of the Bourbon lineage within Arabica and Robusta varieties.

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