Villagers in Lampung province have reported welcome news for coffee lovers but not so much for themselves: the population of the Asian palm civet is on the rise there.

The mammal is perhaps best known as the producer of the world’s most expensive coffee, Kopi Luwak.

The drink is made from coffee-berry beans that have first passed through the animal’s digestive tract, and it can command upwards of $100 a cup overseas.

However, the civet is also deemed a pest by local poultry and fruit farmers because of its omnivorous diet.

Marsidi, a resident of Way Ngison village in West Lampung district, 265 kilometers from the provincial capital Bandar Lampung, said on Tuesday that the civet population there was increasing by the day.

“It’s getting to the point where residents are getting very concerned that the civets will eat their poultry or their fruit crops,” he said.

Marsidi attributed the increase in population on the mushrooming of “kopi luwak farms” in the area, where he said people rounded up the animals further afield and released them here to feed on coffee berries.

He added that while the increase in population was worrisome, it was also a blessing in disguise.

“Even though it’s a pest, if you can catch one alive and sell it to a kopi luwak farm, they’ll pay you well,” he said. “It may spark concern, but it’s also the prima donna of farm animals.”

we can conclude that, with the increasing of civets, it also increases the income of the farmers there. becoming the world’s most expensive coffee producer is such a blessing for them.

News Source :  The Jakarta Globe

Photo Source : banten post

Popularity: 1% [?]