TANZANIA KARATU ESTATE

REGION: NGONGORO
AREA: KARATU
ELEVATION: 1800 MASL
VARIETAL: TYPICA

NOTES: KIWIFRUIT, LIME, CARAMEL

THE KARATU ESTATE IS A FAMILY OWNED ESTATE THAT SHARES ITS BORDER WITH
NGORONGORO CRATER NATIONAL PARK. BEING NEIGHBOURS WITH A NATIONAL
PARK IN AFRICA MEANS THEY FREQUENTLY HAVE VISITORS FROM THE PARK,
UNFORTUNATELY THIS CAN CAUSE HUGE DAMAGE TO THE TREES, AS THE BUFFALO
LIKE TO SHARPEN THEIR ANTLERS USING THE TREES, WHICH STRIPS ALL THE
BRANCHES. MEANWHILE THE ELEPHANTS AREN’T EXACTLY CAREFUL WHERE THEY
STEP.

KARATU ESTATE HAS 480 ACRES OF COFFEE, ORGANISED INTO RECTANGULAR

SECTIONS DIVIDED BY TALL TREES, IT IS AN INCREDIBLE SIGHT, SIMILAR TO THE
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF COLOMBIAN AND BRAZILIAN COFFEE FARMS.

THEY PROCESS ALL THEIR COFFEE ON THE ESTATE, USING THEIR OWN NATURAL
FERMENTATION (NO WATER) 36 HOURS METHOD.

THERE ARE 400 EMPLOYEES IN THE FIELD, PICKING, PRUNING AND CHASING AWAY
THE ANIMALS, WHILE THERE ARE A FURTHER 30 EMPLOYEES AT THE WASHING
STATION. THERE ARE LODGINGS FOR UP TO 125 STAFF AND THEY ALSO HAVE AN
AREA TO GROW BEANS, MAIZE AND VEGETABLES TO EAT, ALONG WITH A DAIRY WITH
85 COWS PRODUCING 300L OF MILK PER DAY. ON OUR LAST VISIT WE WERE ABLE TO
VISIT THE STAFF LODGINGS AND THEIR FARMING AREA, AS WELL AS THE DAIRY.
FARM MANAGER AND FAMILY MEMBER DINESH