What is the peak of harvest in coffee production?

Peak of harvest is the period during the annual harvest when the highest proportion of cherries across the farm or region are at optimal ripeness simultaneously. It's the point when selective pickers can achieve the most efficient harvests of ripe cherry without needing to return to the same trees as frequently.

In most origins, cherries at different altitudes and different canopy positions ripen at slightly different times. The peak of harvest is when the largest number of trees have their maximum ripe cherry load at the same time - the convergence point that defines the heart of the picking season.

For processing facilities, peak harvest is the most intense period operationally: maximum cherry intake, drying space at a premium, logistics working at full stretch. For buyers and importers, peak harvest timing is the key reference point for predicting when new crop arrivals will be available and when quality is likely to be at its highest.