How Did Coffee Seeds Reach Yunnan and Where Are They Grown?

Yunnan is China's largest coffee-producing province, supplying more than 80% of national output. Coffee seeds first arrived in 1892, when French missionary Father Tian Deneng planted a tree in Zhukula Village, Binchuan County, Dali. Large-scale cultivation only began in the late 1980s, and by the end of 1997 the province held 7,800 hectares. Today Yunnan accounts for about 70% of national planting area and 83% of output.

The small-bean crop is described as strong yet not bitter, aromatic yet not harsh, with a slight fruity note. The article traces international and domestic grading rules that form the coffee grading system, compares washed processing with Typica, Bourbon and Catimor varieties, and covers the terroir of Pu'er, Lincang and Baoshan, the three main producing regions, including Front Street Coffee's own planting project.

Yunnan is China's largest coffee-producing region, accounting for more than 80% of the national output. Its small-bean coffee is known for being strong yet not bitter, aromatic yet not harsh, with a slight fruity note. This article traces the century-plus history of Yunnan coffee from its introduction by French missionaries in 1892 to the present, analyzes international and domestic grading standards, introduces the terroir conditions of the three major producing regions—Pu'er, Lincang, and Baoshan—and explains in detail the flavor differences between the washed processing method and varieties such as Typica, Bourbon, and Catimor. It also records Front Street Coffee's own planting project in Yunnan and its latest progress, providing coffee enthusiasts with a complete knowledge map of Yunnan coffee.

History of Coffee Cultivation in Yunnan

Yunnan is now the province with the largest coffee planting scale in China, and international coffee giants such as Starbucks and Nestlé are optimistic about the huge potential hidden in this land.

Yunnan's connection with coffee can be traced back to 1892. At that time, French missionary Father Tian Deneng planted the first coffee tree in Zhukula Village, Binchuan County, Dali City, which is usually regarded as the earliest record of coffee being introduced to Yunnan. For the following hundred years, however, coffee trees did not spread on a large scale in this area. It was not until the late 1980s, when multinational companies successively entered Yunnan, that this foreign crop was once again cultivated and developed, and moved toward export.

After 1930, the renowned overseas Chinese leader Mr. Liang Jinshan introduced coffee to the Pupiao and Luoming areas for planting, and this tradition continued until the founding of New China. After 1952, under the guidance of expert Ma Guojin from the Baoshan Tropical Economic Research Institute, large-scale coffee planting began in places such as Lujiang, and the history of large-scale cultivation has now lasted nearly sixty years.

By the end of 1997, the province's coffee planting area had reached 7,800 hectares. At present, Yunnan's planting area accounts for 70% of the national total, and its output accounts for 83% of the national total. Whether measured by area or output, Yunnan coffee already occupies a dominant position in China.

Appendix: Chronicle of Major Events in Yunnan Coffee's History

Phase One: In the 1880s, the Qing government was forced to sign a treaty with France, ending the Sino-French War, and opened Mengzi (Mengzi County, Honghe Prefecture) as a trading port. In 1889, the Mengzi Customs was established, opening the door to foreign exchange in the southwestern border region. Foreign merchants flocked in, and foreign firms proliferated.

Phase Two: In 1902, a French missionary whose Chinese name was Tian Deneng introduced coffee from Vietnam to a mountain village called Zhukula in Binchuan County, Dali, Yunnan Province, for planting. To this day, the descendants of that batch of coffee are still alive, and the ancient coffee grove bears witness to a century of time amid the morning dew and evening glow.

Phase Three: In 1952, experts from the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences distributed 80 kilograms of coffee seeds to farmers in Lujiangba, Baoshan, and several years later provided large-scale planting guidance. From then on, swaying coffee trees appeared along the Yunnan-Burma Highway. Because large quantities had to be supplied to the Soviet Union, Yunnan's coffee cultivation experienced a rapid expansion.

Phase Four: In 1988, Nestlé established a joint venture in China and supported the local coffee industry in Yunnan through means such as launching coffee planting projects, and Yunnan coffee rose again. Starting in 1992, Nestlé formed a coffee agriculture department to specifically study and guide the improvement and cultivation of Yunnan coffee, and purchased coffee with reference to U.S. spot market prices. As of now, coffee giants such as Nestlé, Maxwell, Kraft, and Starbucks all conduct business in Yunnan, and local coffee enterprises are also gradually growing.

Yunnan Coffee Grading System

Although coffee has been grown in Yunnan for many years, it is still not mature overall, and the grading system is relatively chaotic.

1) Commonly used international grading standards:

Grading is done by coffee bean size using round-hole grading sieves. The internationally common sizes for small-bean coffee range from 10 to 20, and the number used represents the sieve aperture—that is, a fraction with that number as the numerator and 64 as the denominator, in inches. For example, 14 indicates green coffee beans that can pass through a sieve with an aperture of 14/64 inch or larger, and 19 indicates green coffee beans that can pass through a sieve with an aperture of 19/64 inch or larger. (1 inch ≈ 2.54 centimeters)

2) Commonly used domestic coffee grading standards:

Graded into five levels according to sieve openings of 6.5, 6.0, 5.5, and 5.0 millimeters.

Grade One: above 6.5 millimeters, plump and intact beans.

Grade Two: 6.0-6.4 millimeters, plump and relatively uniform.

Grade Three: 5.3-5.9 millimeters, relatively plump and slightly less uniform.

Grade Four: 5.0-5.4 millimeters, with incomplete beans, intact beans accounting for more than 75%.

Grade Five: below 5.0 millimeters, with incomplete beans, intact beans accounting for more than 30%.

Detailed international standards for inspecting defects in small-bean coffee:

Grading is based on the number of defects. It is usually determined by how many defects are contained in a certain quantity of coffee beans. According to the methods for identifying impurities and defective beans stipulated by the International Organization for Standardization, a 300-gram coffee bean sample is randomly selected, and the number of impurities and defective beans in it is counted for grading.

(Source: http://www.yunnancoffee.org/ProductShow.asp?id=84)

Yunnan Coffee Producing Regions

Western and southern Yunnan lie between 15° north latitude and the Tropic of Cancer. Most areas are 1,000-2,000 meters above sea level, and the terrain is mainly mountainous and sloping, with considerable undulation, fertile soil, abundant sunshine, ample rainfall, and large temperature differences between day and night. These unique natural conditions create the special flavor of Yunnan small-bean coffee—strong yet not bitter, aromatic yet not harsh, with a slight fruity note.

Yunnan coffee cultivation is mainly distributed in Lincang, Baoshan, Pu'er, Dehong, and other places. These areas possess natural resources of low latitude, high altitude, and large day-night temperature differences, making Yunnan a golden growing belt for producing high-quality Arabica (small-bean) coffee.

Pu'er

Although Pu'er City is famous for tea, its coffee planting area has reached 789,000 mu, coffee bean output 58,600 tons, and total output value 2.469 billion yuan, making it Yunnan's largest coffee planting base. The local climate, geography, and soil conditions are very favorable for coffee cultivation.

Pu'er coffee has a history of one hundred years. Cultivation began at the end of the 19th century, and in 1988 it embarked on the path of industrialization. At present, the city's coffee planting area reaches 767,000 mu, making it the mainland's major coffee-producing region with the largest planting area, highest output, and best quality, as well as a coffee trading distribution center.

Pu'er City is known as the "Coffee Capital of China." In addition to being China's main coffee producing area, Pu'er coffee is also exported to more than 30 countries and regions in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, opening up a new "black gold" market.

Lincang

Lincang City is located in southwestern Yunnan Province, with the Tropic of Cancer running across its southern part. It borders Pu'er to the east, Dali to the north, Baoshan to the west, and Myanmar to the southwest. It is named for being near the Lancang River and is a brilliant pearl on the southwestern border of the motherland. Lincang's annual average temperature is between 16.8°C and 17.2°C, with distinct dry and wet seasons and abundant sunshine.

Baoshan

Yunnan Baoshan small-bean coffee has a long planting history. Baoshan small-bean coffee is a nationally recognized geographical indication product and is one of the better-quality coffees in the country and even the world.

Baoshan's average temperature is 21.5°C, with a maximum of 40.4°C, and it is basically frost-free year-round, making it recognized as the best producing area for small-bean coffee. The small-bean coffee cultivated here is famous at home and abroad for being strong yet not bitter, aromatic yet not harsh, small and uniform in bean size, mellow and rich with a fruity note.

Yunnan Coffee Processing Methods

In Yunnan, the main processing method is the washed method.

The harvested cherries are passed through a depulper to separate most of the pulp from the coffee beans, and then the parchment beans are introduced into clean water tanks and soaked in water to ferment, so as to thoroughly remove the remaining pulp layer. Through washed processing, unripe beans and defective beans are picked out due to buoyancy, and the fermentation process is also easier to control. Therefore, in terms of flavor, it does not carry the off-notes of sun-dried beans, but instead shows distinct fruit acidity, slightly greater complexity, and a cleaner cup performance.

Yunnan Varieties

Varieties

Typica and Bourbon, two classic high-quality varieties, are the main cultivated varieties of Yunnan coffee. In 1991, the Catimor series (with stronger virus resistance and higher yield) was introduced from Kenya. They belong to variants of the Arabica species (also called small-bean species). Because these two varieties are similar in morphology and habits, they are mostly cultivated in mixed stands.

Growth Period

Yunnan small-bean coffee bears fruit after 3-4 years of growth.

Coffee is a short-day plant. Coffee has the characteristics of multiple flowering and concentrated flowering periods. Small-bean coffee flowers in Yunnan from February to July, with the full flowering period from March to May. Coffee flowering is greatly affected by climate, especially rainfall and temperature. Coffee flowers have a short lifespan, only 2-3 days. Small-bean coffee generally begins to open at 3-5 a.m. and is in full bloom from 5-7 a.m.

Coffee fruit development takes a relatively long time. Small-bean coffee fruit takes 8-10 months to mature, generally maturing from October to December of the same year. Rainfall has a great impact on fruit development, and climatic conditions directly affect fruit development.

The botanical name of the small-bean coffee plant is the Arabica species. It is one category of coffee, with more than 100 varieties in total.

Among them, Typica, Bourbon, and others are internationally recognized as the best varieties within the Arabica species. What Baoshan people usually call "old varieties" are actually Typica and Bourbon.

The Yunnan beans most commonly seen on the market are of the Catimor variety. [Catimor] carries 1/4 Robusta genes, produces more fruit, and is easy to grow. In cupping this year's 2018 Catimor AA, the taste has barley tea, licorice, chocolate, and caramel, with a low, deep, and rich texture [coffee]. It is different from our [Front Street 2013 Typica Typica] variety, which has caramel and brown sugar flavors and floral notes [coffee]. Each has its own merits. Only coffee that suits you is the right choice [happy]

FrontStreet Coffee has also come to Yunnan and started our own coffee planting. The coffee seedlings cultivated in the nursery bed last year have now grown to 50 centimeters, and this year they can be transplanted to suitable hills to continue developing. In the near future, we will have coffee grown by ourselves to drink!

The 12,000 plants we cultivated this time are mainly Typica, Bourbon, and Yellow Bourbon. Typica and Bourbon, two classic high-quality varieties, are the main cultivated varieties of Yunnan coffee. In 1991, the Catimor series (with stronger virus resistance and higher yield) was also introduced from Kenya. They belong to variants of the Arabica species (also called small-bean species). Because Typica and Bourbon are similar in morphology and habits, the two are mostly cultivated in mixed stands.

Let's take a look below at the sketches from this Yunnan trip.

Our own coffee, this is Typica, planted in 2017.

The thriving coffee seedlings are fully prepared and ready to be transplanted.

Workers load the coffee seedlings onto trucks and transport them up the mountain for transplanting.

Related recommendations: How to brew Yunnan small-bean coffee beans Recommended Yunnan small-bean coffee brands

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.