Introduction

Every cup of coffee starts as a small red fruit on a shrub. Long before beans are roasted, ground or turned into a premix, they spend most of a year growing on a coffee plant, through flowering, fruit setting and slow ripening. What happens on the plantation during those months does more to shape the final cup than almost anything that happens later.

We grow coffee on our own plantations, and our harvest goes into Desco, our coffee premix brand. Desco blends coffee with creamer, sugar and Ceylon spices into convenient single-serve sachets. Because we grow the coffee ourselves, we can choose the varieties, decide how the plants are cared for and make sure only ripe cherries are picked.

This article explains how a coffee plantation works. It covers Sri Lanka’s long coffee story, the coffee plant and its fruit, the two main coffee species we grow, the climate coffee needs, planting and care, the yearly cycle from blossom to harvest, hand-picking, and the pests and challenges growers face. It ends with how our coffee becomes Desco, and answers common questions.

Sri Lanka’s coffee story

Coffee has a longer history in Sri Lanka than many people realise. By the middle of the nineteenth century, Ceylon was one of the world’s leading coffee producers, and coffee was the island’s main export crop. At its peak around 1870, well over 100,000 hectares were planted with coffee.

Then disaster struck. In the late 1860s and 1870s, a fungal disease called coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix) appeared on plantations. It covered leaves with pale yellow and orange spots, made the plants drop their leaves and steadily weakened them. Within two decades, exports had collapsed and most of the coffee land was abandoned. Planters switched to tea, which went on to make Ceylon famous.

Coffee never disappeared completely. Smallholders kept growing it in home gardens and mixed farms, and today Sri Lanka is rediscovering its coffee heritage. In 2025, Sri Lanka’s Department of Export Agriculture marked 200 years of coffee at the Sri Lanka Coffee Festival, and government and private programmes are working to expand planting, improve quality and develop specialty coffee. Our plantations are part of that revival.

The coffee plant and its fruit

Coffee plants belong to the genus Coffea. Left alone, they grow into small trees, but on plantations they are pruned to a bush that people can easily reach. The leaves are dark green and glossy. After the rains, the plants produce clusters of white, jasmine-scented flowers along the branches. The blossom lasts only a few days.

Each pollinated flower develops into a fruit called a coffee cherry. Cherries start green and ripen to deep red (some varieties ripen yellow). Inside each cherry are:

• a thin outer skin;
• a sweet, sticky pulp, sometimes called mucilage;
• a papery layer called parchment;
• a thin silver skin; and
• usually two seeds lying flat-side to flat-side. These seeds are the coffee beans.

Sometimes only one seed develops. It grows round instead of flat and is called a peaberry.

Arabica and Robusta: the two coffees we grow

Most of the world’s coffee comes from two species, and we grow both.

Arabica and Robusta bring different strengths to a blend. Arabica gives aroma and sweetness, while Robusta brings body, strength and a rich crema-like character that holds up well against milk and sugar. That combination is especially useful for coffee premixes such as Desco. Our Arabica coffee guide and Robusta coffee guide explain each species in more detail.

Climate and soil: what coffee needs

Coffee is a tropical crop, but it is fussy about its conditions.

• Temperature. Arabica prefers moderate temperatures, roughly 15°C to 24°C. Robusta tolerates more heat, roughly 22°C to 30°C. Neither likes frost or extreme heat.
• Rainfall. Coffee needs good rainfall through the growing season, followed by a drier spell that triggers flowering. Steady rain afterwards helps the cherries grow.
• Soil. Deep, fertile, well-drained soil, rich in organic matter and slightly acidic, suits coffee best. Waterlogged soil damages the roots.
• Shade. Many coffee farms grow coffee under shade trees. Shade protects the plants from strong sun, slows ripening (which can improve flavour), keeps the soil cool and moist, and provides a home for birds and beneficial insects.

Planting a coffee plantation

Raising seedlings

Coffee plants are usually raised from selected seed in a nursery, or propagated from proven plants. Seedlings spend several months in the nursery, in bags of rich soil and partial shade, until they are strong enough to plant out.

Planting out

Young plants go into the field at the start of the rains, in prepared holes filled with topsoil and compost. Spacing depends on the species and variety, the slope of the land and the shade system. Plants on slopes are often set along the contour, which helps hold soil and water.

The first years

For the first two or three years, young coffee plants are weeded, mulched and shaped by pruning. They usually give their first small crop in the third or fourth year, and reach full production a few years later. With good care, a coffee plant can stay productive for decades.

Caring for a coffee plantation

Pruning

Coffee fruits on new wood, so pruning is essential. Growers remove old, unproductive stems, keep the bush at a height people can reach, and open the centre to light and air. Over time, old stems are cut back so fresh, productive growth can replace them.

Shade management

Shade trees are pruned before the rains, so the coffee gets enough light to flower well. Too much shade means fewer flowers; too little means stressed plants and faster, uneven ripening.

Feeding and soil care

Coffee takes nutrients from the soil with every harvest. Compost, mulch from prunings and fallen leaves, and fertiliser applied according to soil condition keep plants productive. Mulch also protects the soil from heavy rain and keeps it moist in dry spells. Our guide to sustainable plantation management explains our approach to soil, water and pest management.

Weed control

Weeds compete with young coffee plants for water and nutrients. Around the plants, weeds are controlled by hand and with mulch. Between rows, a managed ground cover protects the soil.

The coffee year: from blossom to cherry

The yearly cycle of a coffee plant follows the rains.

1. Blossom. After a dry period, the first good rains trigger flowering. Within days, the plantation turns white with fragrant blossom.
2. Fruit set. Pollinated flowers form small green cherries. For Arabica, which pollinates itself, most flowers set fruit. Robusta depends on wind and insects to carry pollen between plants.
3. Growth. The cherries grow slowly over the following months. Arabica cherries usually take around seven to nine months to ripen; Robusta takes longer, often nine to eleven months.
4. Ripening. Cherries change from green to yellow and then to deep red. Because flowering can happen in several flushes, cherries on the same branch ripen at different times.
5. Harvest. Ripe cherries are picked, and the plant rests and grows new wood for the next season.

Hand-picking ripe cherries

Why ripeness matters

Ripeness has a huge effect on flavour. A ripe cherry is sweet and full; the beans inside are well developed. Unripe green cherries give beans with grassy, sharp and astringent flavours. Overripe or fallen cherries can ferment, giving sour or musty tastes. A small number of bad cherries can spoil the taste of a whole batch.

Selective picking

There are two main ways to harvest coffee. Strip picking removes every cherry from a branch at once, ripe or not. Selective picking takes only the ripe cherries, leaving the others to ripen. Selective picking takes far more time, because pickers go over the same plants several times during the season, but it gives far better quality.

We hand-pick our coffee selectively. Pickers choose the ripe red cherries and return to the same plants in several rounds as more cherries ripen. After picking, cherries are sorted again to remove any green, damaged or overripe fruit.

Processing on the day of picking

Coffee cherries start to change as soon as they are picked, so processing begins quickly, usually the same day. Depending on the method, the cherries are either dried whole or pulped, fermented, washed and dried. These steps turn the cherry into green coffee, the raw bean that is later roasted. Our guide to coffee processing for Desco explains each processing method in detail, and our article on how coffee flavour develops explains how each stage affects flavour.

How much coffee does one plant give?

People are often surprised by how little coffee a single plant produces. Depending on the species, variety, age and care, a mature coffee plant may give a few kilograms of fresh cherries in a season. That sounds like a lot until you follow the cherries through processing.

In other words, it takes roughly five to six kilograms of fresh cherries to make one kilogram of green coffee, and roasting removes another 15% to 20% of the weight. A single plant’s yearly harvest may make less than a kilogram of roasted coffee. Every cherry counts, which is one more reason we pick only ripe fruit and sort the harvest carefully.

Shade trees and life on a coffee plantation

A well-run coffee plantation is more than rows of bushes. Shade trees planted among the coffee create a layered canopy that changes the whole environment of the farm.

• Cooler, more even conditions. Shade lowers leaf and soil temperatures on hot days, reducing stress on the coffee plants. This is becoming more important as weather patterns become less predictable.
• Slower, more even ripening. Under moderate shade, cherries ripen more slowly. Beans that develop slowly often have more sweetness and complexity.
• Healthier soil. Falling leaves from shade trees add organic matter. Leguminous shade trees can also add nitrogen to the soil.
• Natural pest control. Birds, spiders and beneficial insects that live in the shade canopy feed on many coffee pests.
• Protection from erosion. The canopy breaks the force of heavy rain, and roots help hold soil on slopes.

Shade has to be managed, not left to grow wild. Too much shade cuts flowering and yields, so shade trees are pruned each year to let the right amount of light reach the coffee.

Pests, diseases and challenges

Coffee leaf rust is especially important in Sri Lanka, given its history. Today, growers manage rust with more resistant varieties, healthy and well-fed plants, good airflow and careful monitoring. Picking every ripe cherry and clearing fallen ones also matters for berry borer control, because the beetle breeds in cherries left on or under the plants.

From our plantations to Desco

Coffee from our plantations goes into Desco, our coffee premix brand, marketed by Dsigngo Marketing. Desco premixes blend coffee with creamer, sugar and, in the spiced range, Ceylon spices. Each serving is sealed fresh in a single sachet, so you can make a consistent cup in seconds with hot water.

The Desco range includes:

• Desco Classic 3-in-1, a smooth, balanced everyday coffee;
• Desco Cappuccino, a creamy, foamy café-style cup;
• Desco Ginger Coffee, part of our spiced range with Ceylon spices; and
• Desco Iced Coffee with Milk, made for cold drinks.

You can see the full range on our World of Coffee page. Our guide to coffee processing for Desco explains how our coffee is processed for Desco, and our article on how coffee flavour develops explains how coffee develops its flavour.

Illustrative example

The following example is illustrative and does not describe a specific season or figures.

After weeks of dry weather, a heavy evening shower falls on the plantation. Within a week, the coffee bushes are covered in white blossom and the air smells of jasmine. The plantation team notes the date: this flowering will set the timing of the harvest months later.

Through the growing months, the team prunes the shade trees to let in light, mulches the rows with prunings, and walks the plantation regularly, checking leaves for rust and cherries for berry borer holes. A few plants with rust spots get extra attention and their prunings are removed from the field.

When the first cherries turn red, picking begins. Pickers move along the rows taking only the ripe cherries, and return a week or so later as more ripen. Each day’s harvest is sorted, with green and damaged cherries removed, and processing starts the same day. By the end of the season, the plants have been picked several times, and the dried coffee is ready to go forward for Desco.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a coffee plant take to produce cherries?

A coffee plant usually gives its first small crop in the third or fourth year after planting, and reaches full production a few years later.

Do you grow Arabica or Robusta?

We grow both. Arabica brings aroma and sweetness, and Robusta brings body and strength. Together they suit our Desco premixes.

Why is coffee hand-picked?

Cherries on the same plant ripen at different times. Picking by hand lets us take only ripe cherries, which gives a sweeter, cleaner taste.

What is a coffee cherry?

It is the fruit of the coffee plant. Each cherry usually contains two seeds, which become coffee beans after processing and roasting.

Is Desco made from your own coffee?

Yes. Desco premixes use coffee from our own plantations, blended with creamer, sugar and, in the spiced range, Ceylon spices.

Can I buy green coffee from your plantations?

Green coffee may be available to trade buyers, subject to season and availability. Our bulk supply guide explains our bulk supply.

Conclusion

Coffee asks a lot of the people who grow it: the right climate, careful pruning and shade, constant watchfulness for rust and borers, and a harvest that means returning to the same plants again and again to pick each cherry at its best. Sri Lanka learned the cost of neglecting coffee in the nineteenth century, and is now rediscovering what the crop can offer.

By growing our own coffee, we can give our plants that care and pick only ripe cherries. That is where every cup of Desco begins.

Want to taste coffee from our plantations? Explore the Desco range.

Discover Desco Coffee

Sources

• Coffee production in Sri Lanka (history and 1870 planted area): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_production_in_Sri_Lanka
• NPR, coffee rust threatens Latin American crop; 150 years ago it wiped out an empire: https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/10/16/649155664/coffee-rust-threatens-latin-american-crop-150-years-ago-it-wiped-out-an-empire
• eLanka, Department of Export Agriculture celebrates 200 years of coffee at the Sri Lanka Coffee Festival: https://www.elanka.com.au/press-release-department-of-export-agriculture-celebrates-200-years-of-coffee-at-sri-lanka-coffee-festival/
• The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka), Sri Lanka’s coffee cultivation to be revived: https://www.sundaytimes.lk/231203/business-times/sls-coffee-cultivation-to-be-revived-540437.html
• Sri Lanka Export Development Board, coffee from Sri Lanka: https://www.srilankabusiness.com/blog/coffee-from-sri-lanka.html