Indonesia Sumatra Coffee (Mandheling, Gayo & Lampung)

Wet-hulled Mandheling & Gayo arabica, Lampung robusta

Sumatra produces roughly 60% of Indonesia's coffee, and it sells two very different products. The arabica from Aceh (Gayo), North Sumatra (Lintong) and the Mandheling trade name is defined by wet hulling, giling basah, a process almost no other major origin uses at scale: the parchment is stripped from the bean while it is still at about 35 to 40% moisture, and the bare green bean is then dried. The result is the dark, bluish-green bean and the heavy-bodied, low-acid, earthy and herbal cup that buyers know as Sumatra, and it is a reason to buy, not a defect. The robusta from Lampung in the south is dry-processed in the ordinary way, with the husk removed only after the cherry is fully dried to about 12 to 13% moisture, and it moves in volume to espresso blenders and soluble manufacturers. The USDA's Jakarta post forecasts Indonesian production for 2026/27 at 11.38 million bags, 10 million of them robusta and 1.38 million arabica, down 8% on lower robusta yields after heavy rain in the southern Sumatra highlands, with green exports forecast at 7 million bags. Indonesia accounted for 4.5% of world coffee exports by value in 2024 on UN Comtrade.

Buy Sumatran arabica when a blend needs body and depth with low acidity, as the dark-roast component of an espresso, as a single origin for customers who want an earthy, syrupy cup, and in holiday and dark-roast retail lines. Do not buy it for a bright filter coffee; the wet-hulled profile is the opposite of a washed Central American. Buy Lampung robusta where you would buy Vietnamese robusta, and compare the two on price, screen and defects. Arabica grades are traded by defect count (Grade 1 is the export specialty standard, with triple-picked lots for tighter sorting) and robusta by grade and defect percentage, with moisture a point to watch on wet-hulled coffee because it dries late. The Sumatran arabica main harvest runs roughly October to January, with fresh-crop export from about February, and Lampung robusta from June to October. Lots ship in 60 kg jute bags with barrier liners against a certificate of origin (ICO certificates where issued), phytosanitary certificate and certificate of analysis. Green coffee under HS 0901 is in scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation from 30 December 2026 for large and medium operators and 30 June 2027 for micro and small operators, which requires plot geolocation back to smallholder farms. Physical lots are priced as a differential to the ICE arabica "KC" contract or to ICE London robusta. CBIL brokers Sumatran coffee against grade, defect count, moisture and cup, on FOB Belawan and Panjang, CFR and CIF terms.

Excluded origins are not offered, including product re-exported, blended or re-processed through a third country. Every lot moves with a certificate of origin naming the producing plant, mine or grower country, and nothing is quoted before the seller and loading point are known.