The small valley of Huay Hom village in Mae Hong Son is a a new home to one of the world’s most popular coffee varieties, Arabica.
Back four hundred years ago, the Pakayor ethnic group were introduced to the idea of growing coffee by missionaries who came to the area.
Khun Maliwan’s father accepted the idea and started to grow coffee, systematically, as a way to earn viable income for the family. After a short while, more than 60 other families followed suit.
There’s no special ingredient or reason why coffee grown in Huay Hom tastes and smells so good, but part of the answer is that it’s a result of brilliant weather, healthy soil conditions and sunlight. More importantly, it is organic.
“We don’t use any chemicals or pesticides. That is why our coffee tastes and looks very good,” said Maliwan Nakrobprai, Huay Hom coffee grower.
After November, villagers help one another collect the coffee beans before it gets processed and cleaned. After drying in the sunlight for a time span of 3 months, the beans get sorted according to the grade and quality of the produce.
Regarded as one of the tastiest coffees, most of the produce is sold to markets in the United States, and others sold domestically. Earning up to 3 million baht per harvest, up to 15 tonnes are produced each time.
In the meantime, cooperative groups and local farmers are working hard to ensure that market sales are consistent, in order to make it sustainable for all those involved. With organic processes as well as a long-lived tradition entwined with growing coffee, there is no doubt why Huay Hom Village coffee has so much potential.
