Specific Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU) Coffee is Applying for Geographical Indication

Coffee has become a favorite drink in the Indonesian society. Like in many countries in the world, it is sold widespread everywhere. On the street sides, in tiny kiosks, little shops, cafés, all the way in the malls. Coffee is for breakfast, coffee is a drink among friends and also during any kind of meeting.

There are 2 (two) widely known species of coffees, the Arabica and Robusta. The individual tastes can be different, depending on the place or location it was grown. This particular difference is the attractiveness of choice for the discerning coffee drinker.

Indonesia is blessed to be in the tropical region along the equator and therefore enjoys warm temperatures, where it can be cooler in the hills and mountains. Making Indonesia to be one of the largest Robusta producers in the world. Many coffee types from different areas in Indonesia have been registered under geographical indication at the Directorate General of Intellectual Property. Among others to be mentioned is the Balinese Kintamani and The Gayo of Aceh, northernmost part of Sumatera.

We all know that the taste of coffee and the change or adjusting by certain technique of mixing and brewing. For example, the Manggar Coffee of Bangka and Belitung Island has a light taste and thus not have strong acidity. The Lampung Coffee of South Sumatera has the very dark black colored with strong of aroma, high caffeine content with higher acidity. The Toraja Coffee of South Sulawesi has a distinctive bitter taste, for which coffee lovers do not feel the bitterness at all. Generally, the taste of coffee is determined by fragrance, aroma, flavor, concentration, acidity, bitterness and sweetness.

The Society for Geographical Indication (Masyarakat Perlindungan Indikasi Geografis - MPIG) Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU) Robusta coffee is recently conducting to register its product under geographical indication and express to receive the relevant certification from the Directorate General of Intellectual Property. The thousand OKU area is the most productive coffee producers in South Sumatera and covers 40% of all coffee production areas of South Sumatera. The coffee grows at an elevation of 600-1500 meter.

The soil analysis has mentioned in the application documents, its clay mixed with sand. Based on tasting evaluation, thus, OKU Robusta type coffee is graded at specialty. MPIG has recommended that the OKU Robusta be designated as “Robusta of South OKU”. The application includes for the coffee beans and the grounded coffee.

The protection of geographical indication as sought by MPIG for Robusta of South OKU is intended to assure standards, characteristics, quality and reputation of the specific product that is produced in a specific region, therefore the indication of its geographic location, which protection would last as long as the standards within the products are well-maintained (rkh/sas)

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