1
Introduction
Coffee is the world’s leading hot beverage and also has a significant old history like
alcoholic beverages. Botanical evidences suggest the Ethiopia as origin of coffee
from where somewhat it was brought to Arab peninsula and started cultivation in
sixth century [1]. Since sixth century many socioeconomic, cultural, and political
factors like intercontinental trade, business, wars, and western colonization were the
leading causes of transferring coffee consumption culture from one continent to
another, and now recent data state that coffee production and consumption has
multiplied many times in world with the annual production of 143.3 million bags
(each 60 Kg) worldwide in 2015–2016 which is 0.7% more than the 2014–2015,
whereas consumption rate surpasses the production rate with annual consumption of
154.3 million coffee bags having 2% per annum average growth rate [2]. Coffee is
the main export of many developing countries including Brazil, Uganda, Burundi,
Rwanda, and Ethiopia. Nearly 25 million people are engaged in the cultivation and
production of coffee on their lands, and almost 500 million people are earning their
livelihood directly or indirectly from the coffee business and trade [3]. In the crop
year 2015–2016, the annual global export of coffee Arabica remains 70.3 million
bags as compared to 40.82 million bags of coffee Robusta with annual increment of
1.7% [2]. Till July 2016, the retail average price of coffee (all forms) in major
importing countries remains from 131 to 171.84 cent/lb. (US$, ICO indicator prices)
[2]. Irrespective of the existence of nearly 80–100 species of coffee [4, 5], only two
are considered obvious in trade and cup quality, namely, Coffea arabica (C. arabica
L. (Arabica coffee) which accounts 70% worldwide consumption and C. canephora
Pierre ex A. Froehner (Coffee robusta) which accounts remaining 30%; both of these
coffee beans account for 99% coffee production all over the world [2, 6]. Latin
America, Eastern Africa, Arabia, or Asia are the main producers of Arabica coffee
beans, and western and central Africa, throughout Southeast Asia, and to some
extent Brazil are the producers of Robusta coffee beans. Vast variations exist
between two coffee varieties which do not only include different growing and
cultivation conditions but also inclusively include physical aspects, composition,
and their featured brews made after roasting [7]. Abovementioned production,
consumption, and export and import data of coffee clearly depict the re-evolution
of the coffee market and industry in the world after 1990s. Numerous factors like
tumbling of international coffee agreement (1989), market freedom, ever changing
lifestyle, food consumption and market trends, hope for sustainability, profitability,
and more on that the health benefits of coffee consumption lead to the jumping of
whole coffee sector again.
All the market available roasted and grounded coffees are the blend of coffee
“Arabica” and “Robusta.” Before roasting and grinding, green beans of “Arabica”
and “Robusta” can be differentiated on the bases of size (grade), shape, color,
weight, and other physical features. From compositional point of view, coffee
“Robusta” has more acid contents and relatively more bitter in taste, neutral in pH,
and low flavored which rendered it with less market share of around 30% as
27 “Coffee Bean-Related” Agroecological Factors Affecting the Coffee
643
Introduction
Coffee is the world’s leading hot beverage and also has a significant old history like
alcoholic beverages. Botanical evidences suggest the Ethiopia as origin of coffee
from where somewhat it was brought to Arab peninsula and started cultivation in
sixth century [1]. Since sixth century many socioeconomic, cultural, and political
factors like intercontinental trade, business, wars, and western colonization were the
leading causes of transferring coffee consumption culture from one continent to
another, and now recent data state that coffee production and consumption has
multiplied many times in world with the annual production of 143.3 million bags
(each 60 Kg) worldwide in 2015–2016 which is 0.7% more than the 2014–2015,
whereas consumption rate surpasses the production rate with annual consumption of
154.3 million coffee bags having 2% per annum average growth rate [2]. Coffee is
the main export of many developing countries including Brazil, Uganda, Burundi,
Rwanda, and Ethiopia. Nearly 25 million people are engaged in the cultivation and
production of coffee on their lands, and almost 500 million people are earning their
livelihood directly or indirectly from the coffee business and trade [3]. In the crop
year 2015–2016, the annual global export of coffee Arabica remains 70.3 million
bags as compared to 40.82 million bags of coffee Robusta with annual increment of
1.7% [2]. Till July 2016, the retail average price of coffee (all forms) in major
importing countries remains from 131 to 171.84 cent/lb. (US$, ICO indicator prices)
[2]. Irrespective of the existence of nearly 80–100 species of coffee [4, 5], only two
are considered obvious in trade and cup quality, namely, Coffea arabica (C. arabica
L. (Arabica coffee) which accounts 70% worldwide consumption and C. canephora
Pierre ex A. Froehner (Coffee robusta) which accounts remaining 30%; both of these
coffee beans account for 99% coffee production all over the world [2, 6]. Latin
America, Eastern Africa, Arabia, or Asia are the main producers of Arabica coffee
beans, and western and central Africa, throughout Southeast Asia, and to some
extent Brazil are the producers of Robusta coffee beans. Vast variations exist
between two coffee varieties which do not only include different growing and
cultivation conditions but also inclusively include physical aspects, composition,
and their featured brews made after roasting [7]. Abovementioned production,
consumption, and export and import data of coffee clearly depict the re-evolution
of the coffee market and industry in the world after 1990s. Numerous factors like
tumbling of international coffee agreement (1989), market freedom, ever changing
lifestyle, food consumption and market trends, hope for sustainability, profitability,
and more on that the health benefits of coffee consumption lead to the jumping of
whole coffee sector again.
All the market available roasted and grounded coffees are the blend of coffee
“Arabica” and “Robusta.” Before roasting and grinding, green beans of “Arabica”
and “Robusta” can be differentiated on the bases of size (grade), shape, color,
weight, and other physical features. From compositional point of view, coffee
“Robusta” has more acid contents and relatively more bitter in taste, neutral in pH,
and low flavored which rendered it with less market share of around 30% as
27 “Coffee Bean-Related” Agroecological Factors Affecting the Coffee
643