Arabica coffee

The volcanic soils of the Bolaven Plateau produce a coffee that has earned Laos renown among connoisseurs.

Arabica coffee is an evergreen shrub or small tree with glossy, dark green leaves and white flowers that smell of jasmine. The fruits – red drupes known as coffee cherries – each hold two seeds, which become coffee beans once dried and roasted. Arabica needs moderate temperatures, so in the tropics it is grown in the uplands, usually above 800–1,000 m. It makes a milder, more aromatic brew than robusta.

Significance in the country

The French introduced coffee to the Bolaven Plateau in the early 20th century, and today it is one of Laos’s main exports. Although robusta predominates there by volume, the most highly prized are Lao arabicas from higher plantations, often grown in the shade of the forest.

Where it grows

Almost exclusively on the Bolaven Plateau (600–1,300 m) in the south of the country – in the provinces of Champasak (around Paksong), Salavan and Sekong, with small plantings in Attapeu.

More: Wikipedia (en) Wikipedia (pl)