“Coffea Arabica” flourishes especially well at altitudes of between 1,000m and 1,800m. This places our estates, at an average altitude of 1,400m, at the ideal altitude. The warm, humid air has the tropical temperature preferred by the coffee trees, ranging from 30° Celsius at the height of summer to a minimum of around 12° Celsius during the winter season. The combination of a bi-modal rainfall pattern (with long rains from March to May and short rains from November to December), high altitude and a relatively cool climate allows the coffee plant to develop slowly, thereby promoting strong growth and optimising absorption rates of key nutrients. This unique climate is crucial to Burka’s ability to produce Tanzanian speciality coffee of the highest quality.
Soil
An abundant availability of organic matter
Another important contributor to the balanced and rounded taste of our coffees is the soil that nourishes each bean throughout its growth. The soil parent rocks are volcanic tuffs and basalt with a texture ranging from clay loams to sandy clay loams, which absorb, store and maximize the benefits of the nutrients passed to each tree. The abundant availability of organic matter such as leaves from the many protective tree species, along with compost cherry skins (pulp) further contributes to the richness and fertility of the soil. Thus, the fortunate coincidence of three natural factors – altitude, climate and soil – puts Burka Coffee Estates at an optimal location for the production of a naturally superior coffee.
