Workers collecting washed and dried coffee beans on a drying field inside a bean processing factory on Monday in Ermera County, Timor-Leste.

Coffee has been Timor-Leste's largest non-oil export commodity for more than a century, accounting for about 80 per cent of exports.

However, Timor-Leste coffee - the nation's sole cash crop - makes up less than 1 per cent of the global coffee trade.

The history of coffee production in Timor-Leste dates back to the 1800s, though the industry's rise has been erratic due to the country's history of colonialism and military occupation. Its coffee production is also affected by an arid climate and short rainy season, in addition to low soil fertility in its coffee regions.

Timor-Leste's President Jose Ramos-Horta, who was inaugurated last month, has vowed to push for greater food security and the creation of a dedicated coffee fund to protect farmers against global price fluctuations.

One of the world's most oil-and-gas dependent countries, the nation of 1.3 million people has grappled with economic diversification and high poverty rates.