Indonesian Coffee Harvest Calendar: 2026 Sourcing Guide

Backward-plan your 2026 Indonesian coffee arrivals with exact ship windows and lead times by origin. We map harvest timing to milling, port dwell, and ocean transit so you can hit target US/EU landings—factoring in Ramadan/Eid, monsoon drying, and real-world port behavior.

If you need your Indonesian coffees to land on time in 2026, you can’t wing it. You have to work backward from your target arrival by origin, then lock in milling and space before the crunch. In my experience, the teams that hit their August, September and October targets all do the same three things right. They respect harvest rhythms, they buffer for processing and holidays, and they don’t underestimate port dwell.

The 3 pillars of on‑time 2026 arrivals

1. Harvest and processing reality by island

• Sumatra (Aceh Gayo, Mandheling, Lintong). Main harvest Oct–Jan with tail into March. Wet-hulled coffees move early but drying slows in heaviest rains. Fresh-crop export window usually February–June. Consider lots like Blue Batak Green Coffee Beans, Sumatra Mandheling Green Coffee Beans, or Sumatra Lintong Green Coffee Beans.
• Java (Ijen, Preanger). Harvest April–August. Clean-washed profiles ship June–October. See Arabica Java Ijen Grade 1 Green Coffee Beans and Java Preanger Grade 1 Green Coffee Beans.
• Sulawesi (Toraja/Kalosi). Harvest May–September. Best shipping window July–November. Reference Sulawesi Toraja Green Coffee Beans (Sulawesi Toraja Grade 1).
• Bali/NTT (Kintamani, Flores). Harvest May–September. Ship July–November for bright cups. Consider Arabica Bali Kintamani Grade 1 Green Coffee Beans, Bali Natural Green Coffee Beans, and Flores Green Coffee Beans (Grade 1).
• Robusta (Lampung, Bali). Harvest May–August. Export July–November. See Robusta Lampung Green Coffee Beans (ELB & Grades 2–4).

2. Port and ocean mechanics that actually matter in 2026

• Belawan (Medan) schedule is feeder-dependent. Most Sumatra moves via Singapore or Port Klang, so add 2–5 days for the feeder leg. Typical ocean transit to US West Coast is 26–32 days, US East Coast 40–47 days. To Rotterdam/Antwerp, plan 28–38 days. Port dwell in mid‑2026: 5–10 days typical in Belawan.
• Tanjung Priok (Jakarta) has more direct mainline sailings and better frequency, but it still bunches around holiday backlogs. Transit to US West Coast 22–28 days, US East Coast 36–43 days, to Rotterdam 24–32 days. Dwell mid‑2026: budget 4–7 days in Priok. When sailing Java coffees via Tanjung Perak (Surabaya), add 1–3 days via domestic feeder to Priok, unless you catch a mainline out of Perak.

3. The 2026 holiday and weather reality

• Ramadan/Eid 2026 is expected mid‑February to mid‑March with the Eid al‑Fitr holiday immediately after. Every year we see a 7–10 working day slowdown across mills, labs, trucking and ports. Pre‑holiday rush adds congestion. Assume 10–14 days total slippage for late Feb–March movements. Idul Adha late May can also trim a couple of working days.
• Monsoon effect. West Sumatra rains can hamper drying in late Q4–Q1. Bali/NTT rains are lighter in mid‑year, but sudden showers still stretch patio time. Don’t promise aggressive cut‑offs against wet parchment.

Practical takeaway: Work backwards with a 6–8 week buffer from milling to EU/US arrival for Sumatra, and 5–7 weeks for Java/Sulawesi moving through Priok. Add 1–2 weeks during Ramadan/Eid or when Belawan/Tanjung Priok congestion builds.

Weeks 1–2: Pre‑season planning and validation

• Define target landing months by origin. Example. “Sumatra in August for fall blends. Java in October for seasonal washed.”
• Validate crop timing with your exporter against actual cherry flow. In our updates, Gayo cherries typically peak Nov–Dec. Java peaks June–July. Flores peaks July–August.
• Book preliminary lab schedule and capacity. Export docs, Q‑grading, and phytosanitary typically take 3–7 days if the lab isn’t stacked.
• Start space scouting two cycles ahead. For August US/EU arrivals, you’ll be sailing late June to mid‑July. In 2026, carriers are still favoring reliability over frequency, so we’re booking 3–6 weeks before ETD to secure equipment.

Here’s the thing. Most delays are locked in before you ever mill. Confirm your CY cut‑offs and which port you’ll actually use. Belawan vs Priok changes your entire clock.

Weeks 3–6: Contract, mill, and stage lots

• Contract windows, not single ETAs. We set “ready for load” targets like 15–25 June rather than a single date. It protects you against a single missed feeder.
• Milling checkpoint. For wet‑hulled Sumatra, allow 7–10 days from milling start to FOB‑ready if parchment is already conditioned. Washed Java/Sulawesi often need 10–14 days including final sort.
• Paperwork and compliance. Phyto, ICO, VGM, insurance binders. Our file is usually clean inside 3–5 days when labs aren’t on holiday hours. Build that into your ship window.
• Trucking and port gate. Belawan and Priok trucking can be arranged in 24–72 hours. Before Eid or during end‑month rush, add 2–3 days.

Need help mapping your exact route and carriers to your arrival goal? We can sanity‑check your dates and hold space when you’re ready to pull the trigger. If it saves you a rollover, it’s worth it. Contact us on whatsapp.

Weeks 7–12: Book, load, sail — ship windows by origin

• Sumatra (Belawan). Fresh‑crop exports February–June. To land US in August 2026, sail late June to mid‑July. Book by mid‑May for USEC, late May for USWC. For EU August arrivals, sail late June or very early July.
• Java (Tanjung Priok/Perak). Washed lots ship June–October. For October arrivals in EU/US, late August sailings are the sweet spot. If you must pick between June and July sailings for an October arrival, choose July at the earliest. June will land too early.
• Sulawesi (Makassar via Priok). Prime ship window July–November. For a September 2026 arrival, plan late July to early August sailings. Contract by April/May to secure quality, and book space by late June.
• Bali/NTT (via Surabaya/Jakarta). Ship July–November. For EU September arrivals, target late July or early August ETD. For US East Coast September, sail early to mid‑August.
• Robusta Lampung (Panjang). Bulk July–November. If you need espresso base in Q4, book September sailings to beat Q4 peak.

Contingency. If you miss the fresh‑crop window or need stable low‑acidity components later in the year, aged options like Musty Cup Green Coffee Beans (Aged Arabica) or Aged (Age) Green Arabica Coffee Beans ship reliably year‑round.

The 5 mistakes that derail Indonesian shipping windows

1. Treating Belawan like a mainline port. It’s feeder‑first. You must align to Singapore/Port Klang connections and accept 1–2 week variability if you don’t pre‑book.
2. Ignoring Ramadan/Eid. Every year someone assumes “our mill stays open.” Maybe. Your lab, trucker, or the port gate won’t. Budget 10–14 days slippage Feb–March.
3. Milling too early against wet weather. Sumatra’s late rains ruin timelines when parchment won’t dry. We won’t mill to a date we can’t keep. Neither should you.
4. Booking too late for September/October. Q3 is peak for food and beverage lanes. Space tightens and boxes disappear in Priok. We now book 3–6 weeks ahead in 2026.
5. Not staging at the right port. Shipping Bali via Bali is romantic. In practice, Surabaya or Priok get you better frequency and fewer rollovers.

Practical takeaway. Lock space early, build holiday buffers, and stage where schedules are real. If you do those three, you’ll sleep better in August.

Quick answers to the questions you’re asking

What month should I book a Sumatra container to land in the US by August 2026?

Book in May 2026. Target late June to mid‑July sailings from Belawan. That lands late July to August on USWC and August on USEC.

How will Ramadan/Eid 2026 affect Indonesian coffee processing and export schedules?

Expect 7–10 working days of closures or reduced hours mid‑February to mid‑March, plus a pre‑holiday rush. Add 10–14 days total to any late Feb–March timeline across mills, labs, trucking, Belawan, and Tanjung Priok.

How many weeks do I need from Gayo milling to arrival at a European port?

Six to eight weeks in normal flow. That’s 2–3 weeks milling/docs/stuffing plus 4–5 weeks ocean via Singapore/Port Klang to Rotterdam/Antwerp. Add a week during holiday or congestion.

Is June or July the better month to ship fresh‑crop Java for October arrivals?

July, if you must choose between the two. The bullseye is actually late August for October landings. June will deliver too early.

What’s the typical ocean transit time from Belawan vs Tanjung Priok to the US East Coast?

Belawan to USEC. 40–47 days via transshipment. Tanjung Priok to USEC. 36–43 days, often with more service options and better schedule reliability.

How much port dwell time should I budget for Indonesia coffee in mid‑2026?

Belawan. 5–10 days typical. Tanjung Priok. 4–7 days. Around holidays or Q3 peaks, pad an extra 3–5 days.

When should I contract to secure space for a September 2026 arrival of Sulawesi lots?

Contract quality by April/May while cherry flow is building. Book ocean space by late June for late July or early August sailings that land in September.

Resources and next steps

• Map your arrivals to specific lots and windows now. For Sumatra components, see Sumatra Mandheling Green Coffee Beans or Sumatra Lintong Green Coffee Beans. For clean washed Java and Flores/Bali profiles, browse View our products and match ship windows to your landing goals.
• If you’re juggling Belawan feeders, Priok congestion, and holiday buffers, don’t guess. Share your target ETA and destination, and we’ll build a lane‑by‑lane schedule with booking dates and CY cut‑offs based on current sailings. Questions about your project? Call us.

One last opinion from years of doing this. Schedules change, but buffers save you. If you budget an honest two weeks of slack between milling and your must‑hit arrival, you’ll make your season—without apologizing to customers in September.