Crisis in the Highlands: The Fight to Restore Gayo Arabica After Sumatra’s Floods

Severe weather has struck the heart of Indonesia’s coffee production. Specifically, hydrometeorological disasters in November devastated the Gayo Highlands in Aceh. Flash floods and landslides damaged thousands of hectares of premium Arabica plantations. Consequently, local farmers now face a critical economic challenge as their primary livelihood suffers a major blow.

The human impact is profound. For instance, many smallholder farmers lost their entire crop. One farmer heartbreakingly stated, “Coffee is our only hope, and now it is gone.” Crucially, this tragedy highlights the vulnerability of agricultural communities to climate change.

This disaster creates immediate ripples in the global market. Therefore, international buyers must anticipate a tightening of Gayo Arabica supply in the coming months. In fact, experts predict potential scarcity in both national and international markets. This supply shock will likely influence spot prices for Sumatra profiles.

We urge our partners to maintain their support for the Gayo coffee community during this recovery phase.

Recovery efforts are underway. However, replanting and soil restoration take time. In the meantime, we are working closely with unaffected cooperatives to secure remaining inventory.

For buyers concerned about volume, we recommend discussing allocation strategies or exploring similar profiles from neighboring regions immediately.

Ultimately, the industry’s solidarity now ensures the future survival of the world-renowned Gayo origin.