The stripping method is a high-yield form of coffee harvesting in which the coffee cherries are quickly stripped from the branches in a single pass using a comb-like tool. This method saves time and allows for easier collection of the cherries, which are a mixture of ripe, overripe and unripe fruit. During the stripping method, the cherries are separated for grading, with the green immature cherries removed and the overripe cherries usually retained, but this can result in loss of quality.
The optimal harvest time for the stripping method varies by coffee-growing region. It usually takes several years for coffee plants to bear ripe fruit, and harvesting occurs when the plant has the highest number of ripe fruit. The actual harvest period spans about ten to twelve weeks and varies depending on proximity to the equator. Generally, coffee is harvested south of the equator from May to August, while on the northern side there is a harvest period from September to December, which means harvesting can occur once or twice a year.
