There is no doubt that Guatemalan coffee is regarded as one of the best coffees in the world. An Equal Exchange article on Guatemalan coffee production is insightful for anyone interested in a
historical overview. Despite its great coffee and long history, Guatemalan coffee production has meet some recent challenges. An
article by Don Lotter, Rodale Institute discusses these challenges. He notes that in 2001 the price of coffee on the world market dropped dramatically. This was due to (1) the increased production of coffee by Brasil and (2) Viet Nam becoming a major coffee producer. The resulting drop in coffee prices created a crisis for coffee growers in the Guatemalan Highlands.
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| Guatemalan Coffee © Spaswinefood |
Anacafé, the Guatemalan National Coffee Association provides leadership for the coffee regions within Guatemala. Guatemala has now positioned itself to regain strength in the world market. The
USDA Foreign Agriculture Service GAIN Report outlines progress towards this goal. Guatemala will focus on (1) marketing
gourmet coffee and (2) increasing local consumption. A January 16, 2011
Prensa Libre article highlighted efforts to educate the local population. The average consumption per person of coffee in Guatemala is less than 138 cups per year. Anacafé and others feel this will improve with better marketing to local consumers.
An article by fellow blogger,
Josue Morales explains the harvesting process here in Guatemala. This is the time of the year when you see coffee beans being picked in the Guatemalan highlands.
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Coffee beans starting to turn © Spaswinefood
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Ready to pick © Spaswinefood
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| Ready to pick © Spaswinefood |
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| Ready to pick © Spaswinefood |
With the coffee harvest in progress, this week was a good time to visit
Finca Filadelfia Coffee Resort and Spa. I got to see the coffee beans drying in the sun.
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| Coffee drying area © Spaswinefood |
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| Coffee drying in the sun © Spaswinefood |
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| Coffee drying in the sun © Spaswinefood |
Finca Filadelfia has a cafe that serves great coffee and tasty Guatemalan food. You can buy
Filadelfia Coffee to take home. You should also check out
Finca La Azotea Coffee Plantation and Museum. Finca Filadelfia and La Azotea are great places to enjoy a cup of coffee or to learn about coffee production.
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| Cafe at Finca Filadelfia © Spaswinefood |
While I have tried many coffees, I kept coming back to Guatemalan coffee. There is also no doubt that Guatemalan Coffee is a favorite of mine.
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| There is nothing like a cappucino prepared with Guatemalan Coffee © Spaswinefood |
Wow what a great blog, i really enjoyed reading this, good luck in your work. Best Guatemala Coffee
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