The military then stepped back from the coffee industry and hasn't interfered in it since. Given East Timor's uncertain political status, Starbucks, the main corporate buyer of the cooperative's coffee, doesn't like to publicize its involvement for fear of becoming embroiled in controversy with human-rights activists. Denok's monopoly didn't do much for quality, since farmers often neglected their trees, neither pruning them nor treating them with chemicals. But the farmers' neglect had an unintended benefit. That certification, plus the low-acid flavour of the bean, has translated into big dollars.
Coffee roasters use East Timor's beans to smooth the acidic sharpness of their blends.
One of the best ways to stimulate production is to prune the trees, which also makes them easier to harvest. That's a technique local farmers are only now beginning to learn. Some industry officials also believe up to 40,000 hectares could be turned into coffee plantations in addition to the 55,000 hectares already in production. The biggest winners are the farmers. The father of six moved out of a rickety hut last year into his own white concrete house.