ABSTRACT
Once coffee cherries have been picked, they must be processed. Although there is a range of variation in the environmental impacts between shade-grown and sun-grown coffee, the choices among processing methods raise additional problems for the natural environment and the possibility for sustainability. There are two main choices for processing: the dry method and the wet method. The dry method involves picking all the coffee cherries from the bushes at once, and letting them dry in the sun. In the simplest dry method, picked cherries are spread immediately on a flat surface to dry. High-quality arabica coffees are processed by the wet method. As soon as the cherries are picked, they are passed through a pulping machine that grinds off the cherry. Moreover, coffee processing takes place during the dry season when the cherries ripen and water is often scarce.
