Coffeeclues

Shade grown coffee generally refers to a coffee grown under a canopy of several trees. The coffee bean grown under shade takes time for its growth and has a rich flavor. The growing method involved is purely organic and serves as a natural habitat for bird species. This article describes the advantages and disadvantages of the coffee grown under shade.

Advantages of Shade Grown Coffee

• They protect the coffee plants by creating a suitable growing environment.
• The expenditure that the farmer spends in producing this coffee is very less. This is mainly because of the less use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
• It protects the coffee plants from wind.
• Root system of the shade trees helps in protecting from soil erosion.
• Shade trees help in providing the necessary moisture for the soil.
• Trees help in the recycling of nutrients. Thereby, the content of microorganisms and nitrogen is high in this soil.
• They serve as a natural habitat for birds and wild life.
• The coffee grown under shade is environmental friendly and serves the criteria of organic coffee.

Disadvantages of Shade Grown Coffee

• One of the major disadvantage of coffee grown under shade is the improper growth conditions. Generally the coffee yield is very less.
• In commercial coffee farms one a single type of a tree is chosen to provide shade to the coffee plants. Therefore, it does not promote the biodiversity of plants.
• Fungal problems are most common in these coffee plants. Generally, the trees grown in sunlight dry faster and there is no moisture on the surface of the plant. But in case of plants grown in shade moisture is present and therefore plants are prone to fungal infections.
• It takes a very long for fruit production. It is known that the coffee produced per acre is less than 50 percent when compared to other coffee growing methods.