The harvest can be manual – a difficult and intensive process used in most countries – or mechanical - used in countries with more resources.
Coffee can be processed in two different ways:
the cherry are spread outdoors to dry in the sun or in a mechanical dryer until they have a moisture of around 11%. The beans are later transported to their place of storage. This method is more widely used in robusta producing countries.
used mainly in arabica producing countries, the cherry are husked and the pulp is removed mechanically and then they are fermented in tanks. At the final stage, the beans are thoroughly washed.