ALTHOUGH the national and international markets prefer Robusta and Arabica coffee, the image of local coffee in Banyuwangi remains special among coffee lovers. Especially rural communities who are inseparable from the culture of consuming coffee as a social drink.
In Gombengsari and Desa Kelir, Kalipuro District, the community still maintains local coffee even in small quantities. Asmah, 55, one of the coffee farmers in the Kacangan neighborhood, Gombengsari says, local coffee is mostly for personal consumption.
Because plantations and collectors rarely want to buy local coffee in large quantities. even so, doesn't mean local coffee without fans. According to Asma, local coffee buyers still available. In fact, the market can be called a special market because those who buy it are certain people who really like local coffee.
From Asmah's testimony, There are about four types of local Banyuwangi coffee that are still maintained by farmers to this day. That is the type of poniha/muniha, buiah/glodok, keleres and tokosari. These four coffees have their own integrity and excellence both in terms of taste and price.
For example, keleres type coffee, Asmah describes this coffee as having an oval shape with thin fruit, but big seeds. This coffee is one of the oldest types of coffee that is still preserved. In terms of taste, this coffee is arguably the most bitter. So that; Many people often mix this coffee with various other ingredients such as rice and corn before it becomes powder and is consumed.
“This keleres has big seeds, so if you sell it it's good because the results are a lot. The price is around Rp 16 thousand per kilogram for dry beans. This coffee is also called herbal coffee, but even though it's bitter, many people like it, especially the Madurese," said Asmah.
Same as Asmah, Mungkodi, 68, a local coffee collector from Kelir Village said, if this keleres coffee is the most preserved. Sometimes rural people intentionally plant this type of coffee behind their houses or in their gardens.
Because the tree of keleres coffee is not too big, so easy to treat. Then for other types of local coffee that is quite liked is poniha or muniha. This type of coffee is indeed small in size both from the fruit and the seeds.
It's getting smaller after drying. even so, The price, said Mungkodi, is arguably the highest among Banyuwangi's local coffees. This type of coffee became the food of the civet animal which became known as civet coffee.
In addition, the caffeine is also said to be quite high with a slightly sour taste. Per kilogram of dry seeds valued up to Rp 35 thousand.” This poniha has a thick tree. Lots of fruit too, the badger also eats this coffee. That's why it's expensive. Which is looking for a lot. just not too many. But yes, there are those who plant,” said the man who is also a barong artist.
Other types of local Banyuwangi coffee are, namely tokosari which is touted as one of the most mass-produced types of coffee. The taste of this coffee called Mungkodi is similar to Arabica coffee. The price is also quite good ranging from Rp 14 thousand to Rp 20 thousand per kilogram.
For local coffee lovers, considered less favorable. “There are still many Tokosari who want to buy. The fruit is big and the seeds are big, he said it was good for production, there are still many who plant, but for sale only,” the light.
The last one is buriah or glodok coffee. This local coffee can be recognized by the characteristics of the tree which is quite tall compared to other coffees. If coffee trees generally only have a maximum height 1,5 meter, Buriah coffee trees can reach up to 5 meter.
Because of the size of the tree, Mungkodi judged, Rarely are plantations willing to cultivate this coffee. But there are also people who outsmart by doing cuttings so that they can still enjoy buriah coffee but with trees that are not too tall..
“This buriah has thick skin, the seeds are good too. People say there is a little jackfruit smell in this coffee. The price is also almost the same as poniha coffee. Only those who plant rarely, hard to harvest,” he said, (radar)
