Riyadh: The highlands of the Al-Baha Region, including the agricultural lands of Lower Shada (Shada Al-Asfal) and Upper Shada (Shada Al-Ala) mountains, are renowned for their ideal climate, which fosters the growth of the distinctive Shada coffee. The coffee, named after the two mountains, is well-known for its unique flavour and exceptional quality, making it a highly coveted choice among coffee enthusiasts.
A Saudi Press Agency reporter met with Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, a coffee farmer from the Shada area, to discuss the intricacies of Shada coffee cultivation. Al-Ghamdi said that coffee cultivation takes three years, commencing in late summer and culminating in the harvesting phase at the onset of the fourth year.
Once the coffee fruit is collected, it is carefully sun-dried on the rooftops of houses for three days. After that, the coffee beans are meticulously collected again and stored indoors, shielded from direct sunlight for two days, followed by a secondary drying process on the rooftops for another fiv
e days.
Throughout this process, the coffee beans change colour from red to black and lose weight due to moisture evaporation during drying. The beans are then ground using millstones specifically made for this purpose before being sold according to the customer’s preferences.
The people of the Shada area’s dedication to cultivating this exceptional coffee, with its unique and rare flavour, is a testament to their commitment to preserving their rich coffee farming heritage. This dedication offers the world a taste of Saudi coffee infused with the essence of nature.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
