t level since November 1994 when they averaged 153.33 US cents/lb.
Guatemala FEDECOCAGUA
Guatemala is located in Central America, just south of Mexico and north of Honduras and El Salvador, and is world renowned for its Arabica beans. Coffee was first introduced in Guatemala by Jesuit Priests in 1750, and flourished in the rich volcanic soil and subtropical climate. Rigorous cultivation introduced by the Germans in the late 1800’s enabled the country to produce some of the best coffees in the world.
Coffee is the main cash crop and provides 90% of farmers’ incomes. The average farm is around 10ha in size. Around 3.2ha is given over to coffee production which is 100 per cent shade-grown. The farmers grow cocoa, banana, mango, and plantain which are also used as shade trees for their coffee. They also grow vegetables and some families keep animals and make handicrafts. A number of farmers are putting more resources into diversifying into citrus fruits and cardamom due to the extremely low coffee prices in recent years.
FEDECOCAGUA, Coffee Co-operative, Guatemala is a second-level co-operative founded in 1969 to improve the position of small-scale coffee growers. It is the umbrella organisation for 19,354 coffee farmers belonging to 37 affiliated farmers’ organisations. FEDECOCAGUA provides a range of services including access to a credit scheme, technical support, transport, warehousing, and the purchase, processing and export of members’ coffee beans. This commercialisation of coffee production means the farmers receive higher prices than when they had to sell to middlemen. An organic conversion programme has also been established.
FEDECOCAGUA members, 70% of whom are indigenous people, are spread over different regions of Guatemala including Huehuetenango, Cobán, Verapaces, Retalhuleu, San Marcos, and Zacapa.. These rural areas are characterised by difficult economic conditions and poor infrastructure, particularly roads, electricity, communication, health, and education.
FEDECOCAGUA became Fairtrade certified in 2000, though some member cooperatives have been selling to the Fairtrade market for more than 10 years.
The Guatemala FLO FT Organic coffee we in stock has cupped to a nearly perfect balance of body, aroma, and acidity. Deep, rich, dark chocolate with immense body, just as it should be and with the hint of smoky flavour Guatemalans are known for.
