Weanie Beans: Myanmar (Burma), Ywangan, Washed

From the southern Shan state of Myanmar, lots of small farmers pick coffee cherries which are then transported to Mandalay for sorting & processing. This washed coffee sees the cherries being put to soak in tanks & any floating cherries are removed (to separate over & under-ripe ones), they are then pulped, washed again in clean water, & left to sun dry on concrete patios. All the used water is recycled & used as fertiliser on community farms.

Because so many of the farmers have small plots of less than 3 acres, by working together, it means they can pool their coffee cherries together for a larger collective output. The coffee varietals grown here have replaced poppies, which were used for the opium trade. Not only does this mean that the farmers now have a more consistent source of income, but also, a legitimate one. This brings new hope to a country that is still in recovery from decades of unrest and oppression.