Jolt of Espresso may cost more as drought wilts Indonesia’s coffee

A worker is roasting robusta coffee beans using a traditional Acehnese method at his home industry in Ulee Kareng, Aceh province. - AFP

JAKARTA/HANOI: Coffee production in Indonesia will probably shrink to the smallest in almost a decade after a drought withered flowering, damping prospects for next year’s harvest, according to an industry association.

The South-East Asian country is the world’s third-largest producer of the robusta variety used in espressos and instant drinks, and most is grown in the southern part of Sumatra island, the areas that have been hit by drought. Some arabica is grown in northern Sumatra and in Java.