Coffee culture in Bengkulu

The pungent aroma of coffee filled the afternoon air in Curup, a cool hill town some 85 kilometers northeast of Bengkulu, the capital of the province of the same name.

"Bengkulu coffee is 100 percent pure, not mixed with corn flour or anything. It tastes even better than Lampung coffee," boasted Sudiyono, my driver and guide.

The coffee grown in the town entices with its aroma and captivates with its taste, but a lack of promotion means Bengkulu coffee continues to be overshadowed by better known coffees from other provinces.

And local coffee farmers are struggling to survive as coffee prices have fallen sharply to as low as Rp 3,800 per kilogram from as high as Rp 12,000 per kilogram. Because coffee can only be harvested once a year, farmers face a constant battle to persevere from year to year.

Bengkulu coffee may be a delight for drinkers, but unless the situation changes it will remain a bitter harvest for farmers.

-- Text and photos by Hera Diani