Established in 2010, The Indonesia Coffee Exporters Association, locally known as GAEKI (Gabungan Eksportir Kopi Indonesia) is currently led by Chairman Dr. Hutama Sugandhi. ‘In terms of quantity and quality, Indonesia is one of the best coffee growing countries in the world’, says Dr. Sugandhi. ‘Indonesia’s volcanic soil, rich in minerals and nutrients, produces highquality specialty coffee. Sixty five per cent of Indonesia’s coffee production takes place in the ‘Golden triangle’ (lampung, Bengkulu, South Sumatra) located in the southern part of Sumatra Island which is Robusta coffee.
Twenty five per cent of total production in Indonesia is Arabica coffee, growing in Aceh, North Sumatra, South Sulawesi, Java and Bali. GAEKI is an association that supports its eighty members, liaises with government bodies, and provide some feedback related to regulation issued by the government, to further strenghten the industry and promote the Indonesia coffee in markets across the world. ‘We share information regarding the coffee industry and make recommendations to benefit our member companies.
Says Dr. Sugandhi. ‘We also assist our members in meeting government export requirements and help with any challenges being faced within the industry’. With world coffee production rankings determined by weather and crop yields, Indonesia’s near-perfect climate and ideal rainfall levels enable the country to produce world-class coffee. ‘Our long history of coffee production is based on our knowledge of planting, growing, producing and processing coffee’, concludes Dr. Sugandhi. ‘Indonesia’s coffee industry as a whole has seen annual domestic growth of seven to eight per cent in recent years. Coffee is important in our modern society and with consumers demanding high-quality coffee, our member companies continue deliver the very best’
