Contents:

• About Zebu Coffee
• Processing Mill Location
• Background Information

About Zebu Coffee

Processing Mill Location

Background Information

The name Zebu Coffee comes from a unique type of a cow – Zebu Malgache that can be found only in Madagascar and is a source of a very nutritious fertiliser that we use. We apply a shade tree technology which allows for an even delivery of a sunlight and a protection against overheating. Shade trees that we use are Lychees, Bananas, Lemons and Mangoes which we hope will pass on fruity flavours to our coffee beans. Mangoes have a special place in our heart as the village next to us that is a source of our workforce is called Ambodimanga, or a place among the Mango Trees.

As we didnt want to be dependent on mother nature we have built a water dam, water tower and a full irrigation grid to provide a constant water supply to our trees even in a dry season. We are and will remain a small friends and family owned coffee farm that produces a specialty coffee which is fully organically grown of a highest quality whilst supporting the local community so please support the cause of Arabica Coffee régénération in Madagascar by drinking responsibly grown coffee!

Coffee industry has experienced a boom in the past and it has been heavily depressed for a prolongues period of time due to lack of investment, government subsidies and depleting cultivation knowledge. It is very difficult to assess a full scope of the production as majority of the farmers are growing coffee for personal needs and without any guidance. Cffee that can be widely found is predominantly robusta with small pockets of Arabica.

Currently one will be able to find local communes which are supposed to function as a centralized knowledge hub for the local farmers however these do not have any governmental funding and the knowledge outflow has migrated to private agri advisers who are charging money for their advise. Zebu Coffee has tried to collaborate with several different firms and we have realized that these do not possess the necessary talent required for cultivation. This has resulted in almost 30% loss of our coffee trees very early in our life time. Easiest solution that these advisors are pushing is heavy use of fertilizers, fungicides and pesticides which we oppose.

It is also not easy to find a suitable land even though there is an abundance of it. A lot of land has historically been used for cultivation of other cultures and crops and then adapted for maze. Due to the overcultivation of it local farmers where forced to use cheap quality fertilisers and pesticides that leave a lot of copper residue in soil. Hence a soil analysis is a pre-requisite before starting the plantation. The same applies to water resources in the country. Even though Northern and Central part have relatively heavy rainfall in a rainy season the Southern part does not. We had to build a water dam and dig two water wholes that go over 150 meters below the ground with solar pumps bringing it to the surface and pushing it to the water tower that feeds the irrigation grid. Due to unpredictability of the length and the strength of the rainy season it is important to ensure a constant water supply.

All of these features are not accessible to local communities and farmers as it is beyond their financial resources and knowledge.