APKO

Asosiasi Petani Kopi Organik (APKO)

Background and History

APKO was founded in March 2006 with the mission of improving the living standards of its members.  In March 2007, under the umbrella group of PPKGO, APKO began exporting organic certified through an American exporter, ForesTrade, who helps commercialize and export the coffee of Indonesian coops to North America.  As APKO grew, they began to look outside of PPKGO and Forestrade. In March 2008, APKO teamed up with exporter Ujang Jaya, in Medan, who continues to process and export their coffee.  In 2009, they became FLO certified.

Cooperative Structure

APKO currently has around 796 members (2011) who are organized in 15 villages within in the regencies (districts) of Aceh Tengah (4 villages) and Bener Meriah (11 villages). Among these members, a small portion grows Robusta in the small village of Alam Jaya, Bener Meriah, but the majority grow Arabica in the 14 other villages. 

Members elect 16 sub-unit managers or “collectors” as well as 41 delegates. The board of directors is a well balanced blend of old and young members and farmers, delegates, collectors and staff members are invited to participate in meetings.  The organization operates with the help and support of a well balanced group of people, all of whom show an incredible amount of dedication and interest in the successful functioning of the coop. The New Chairman Darul Amman was elected during our visit in 2011. He is replacing Salman the former Chairman

Harvest

APKO members grow their coffee between 1000m to 1500m above sea level. In general, they harvest their cherries between September and May, making the ideal shipping period between November and August.  The average yield per hectare is about 10,000 kg of cherries for Arabica which converts to about 24 bags of exportable green.. The coop hopes to export 60 containers in the 2011-2012 (Sep – Jul).

Facilities

APKO’s office is brand new and located in Simpang Tigah. APKO rent it. First floor is the office and second floor is the cupping facility. Main warehouse for wet processing is located in the village of Setie Reje. 11 villages deliver red cherries to this facility.  The warehouse is rent by APKO to Salman (former Chairman). Manager, cupper, and employees in charge of the pulping and drying are hired by APKO.  The coop is renovating the center (adding a huller) to better centralize the wet processing in this one central location. The huller will be ready in December 2011. APKO is in charge of partially drying green beans (16% moisture content); then the beans are shipped to Medan to be dry processed by Ujang Jaya (private exporter).  They also have a sample roaster and a cupping lab in which they can better manage and track the quality of the coop’s coffee.

Fair Trade

Given that APKO itself was established in relatively recent years and became FLO certified even more recently, the coop has spent the better part of the last several years strengthening its organization and membership. The 2009 Coop Coffees visit gave them a better understanding about Fair Trade and what it actually means – open contracts, direct relationships, profit and risk-sharing, etc – for them as a producer group.  It also marked an unprecedented opportunity to meet with an importer, to sit down with Coop Coffees and discuss with us directly the terms of trade.  While APKO is just in the beginning stages of development both as a functional coffee cooperative as well as an effective Fair Trade organization, their determination to sell high quality coffee and improve the livelihoods of their member in doing so certainly bodes well!  And Coop Coffees is thrilled to work with APKO and further develop our direct relationship with them. In our 2010 visit we mainly discussed about the lack of financing access, trying to find solutions and make a plan for coming years. In 2011 APKO is still struggled by no access to pre financing. However their exporter, Ujang Jaya, has now access to 2 funds and will be able to pay them cash against coffee deliveries in Medan. 

To view more photos of the coop, visit the photo gallery.

Read the Nov 2009 trip report here

Read the Nov 2010 trip report here

Report for Members only

Certifications

Trace this coffee's documents at FairTradeProof.org