It’s time for civet coffee for Lampung farmers

Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung | Thu, 08/12/2010 8:52 AM

Cashing in on the rising popularity of civet coffee is hard for coffee farmers in West Lampung regency, Lampung, to resist.

Farmer Wahyu Anggoro in Lampung district said 1 kilogram of luwak or civet coffee beans could fetch between Rp 250,000 [US$28] and Rp 750,000, while regular dried coffee beans were sold at Rp 15,000 a kilogram. “One kilogram of ground civet coffee could fetch up to Rp 1 million,” said Wahyu.

Civet coffee is made from hard beans eaten by nocturnal animals, which then ferment in their stomachs before they are excreted with their shape intact. After being gathered, washed, sun dried, light roasted and brewed, the coffee is highly prized for its smooth flavor and non-bitter aftertaste, earning it the reputation of the world’s most expensive coffee.

The Indonesian Ulemas Council recently considered declaring the coffee haram but asserted it could be consumed (halal) if farmers cleaned the beans before they are ground.

Droppings used to be eagerly collected by farmers, believing the civet only picked and ate the finest coffee berries. Now the coffee is mostly produced by farmers.

In West Lampung, mainly in Belalau and Balikbukit districts, in recent years the coffee has been marketed locally and overseas, mostly to Korea and Taiwan.

Farmers raise between four to dozens of civets, feeding them with ripe coffee beans freshly picked from the farm. There are 10 luwak coffee trading groups in West Lampung, each able to sell up to more than 7 tons of coffee monthly.

“Traders from Thailand have come especially to buy luwak coffee. Traders usually sell it at higher prices of up to Rp 1 million per kilogram to visitors.,” Wahyu said.

Wahyu said traders should keep updated, such as determining the latest price of civet coffee on the global market, learning how to boost production and improve quality.

“In Lampung, luwak coffee is cheap, but not overseas. That’s why its production is very promising,” Governor Sjachroedin said. A cup of the coffee costs Rp 20,000 in a Bandarlampung hotel and only Rp 10,000 in the city’s cafes.

“We will help coffee farmers to process and package civet coffee, and help its marketing.”

Are You Allergic to Cow's Milk?

It is commonly known that cow's milk is one of the food allergies that children have issues with. The reason why is probably the first foreign protein they come across. While cow's milk allergies in babies is gradually becoming common, a majority of allergic children outgrow them before their seventh birthday. Unfortunately, lactose intolerance is rarely outgrown and normally becomes worse from time to time. Being caught up in a milk allergy is an allergy to all dairy products which includes cheese, milk and butter. All these milk products will not be tolerated.

Lactose Intolerance

Lactose is the main sugar that is found in all dairy products including all types of milk. When one is lactose intolerant, this simply means that you are not able to digest this type of sugar. This usually happens as there is a shortage of digestive enzyme known as lactase. Lactase is normally produced in the small intestine and is responsible for breaking down milk sugar, making it easier to be absorbed into the blood stream. When there is insufficient lactase to digest lactose gastrointestinal symptoms surface. These symptoms commonly diarrhea, bloating, cramps and nausea.

The severity of these symptoms varies in every individual, depending on how lactose intolerant one is. In other term, how much lactase is produced by each intestine. Also, it depends on how much lactose is being consumed.

No doubt there is an ethnic link to this condition and Westernized Africans and South-east Asians tend to be one of the largest victims with as many as 90 percent suffering. A tiny percentage of babies are actually born without the ability to produce lactase which makes feeding very difficult. There are other causes including digestive disorders, injuries to the small intestine and also repeated courses of antibiotics which will destroy the healthy bacteria and upset the intestine's ability to produce this enzyme. However, this is normally easy to be resolved.

Young children with lactase deficiency should avoid food containing lactose. However adults or growing children can manage with small quantities but acceptable levels varies. Also, it is possible to purchase the lactase enzymes at health food shops or over any pharmacies. These lactase enzymes comes in a variety of forms including the drops and chewable tablets. Drops for example can be added to milk and left for a day after which the lactose content is lessened significantly. Chewable tablets are taken before any meal which contains lactose.

Next, find out more about Remedy rash

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melissa_Kayden