The coffee belt is the geographical area where this product is grown all over the world, delimited by the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. In this privileged imaginary area is Guatemala, a country that’s famous for its solid coffee industry.
Guatemala and its coffee industry are a reference in the coffee world, since its activities have been historically important for the country’s economy. The same happens to Venezuela and other countries in the continent. The first coffee plant that grew in Guatemala was sown by a Jesuit in the mid-1700. This plant is believed to have been brought from Cuba or Puerto Rico.
In 1853, the aromatic Guatemalan coffee became the country’s major export commodity. In 1970, the cultivation of coffee was extended to the whole country. In this decade, coffee was planted in other areas apart from the traditional areas of San Marcos and Retalhuleu, and it finally arrived in Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepéquez, where Arabic coffee is cultivated and has a global reputation now.
Guatemalan coffee grows in almost every region of the country, thanks to its soil that is rich in minerals, and stable climate. However, the best coffee comes from volcanic soils, at 1500m above sea level. Thanks to these characteristics, it was considered “The Best Coffee in the World” at the 1889 International Exhibition in Paris and at the 1915 Exhibition in San Francisco.
It’s always had a great influence in the country’s economy, but in 1960 it represented 60% of the country’s export earnings. A quintal of coffee was worth 46 dollars. Nowadays, coffee imports only represent 9% of the country’s imports. However, an important industry has been developed around its cultivation, transforming the grain into cosmetic, health and food products.
Because it is an industry that’s grown thanks to the country’s rich soil, the government of Guatemala created agencies and measures to promote the growth of the communities near the coffee zones, improving these people’s quality of life. This and other goals have been achieved through the National Coffee Association.
According to data from the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives of Coffee Producers in Guatemala (FEDECOCAGUA), the final destination of this precious coffee, which Guatemalans only get to keep 250g per capita, 80% is exported to Europe, 15% to the United States, and 5% to Japan. In these places, Guatemalan coffee is considered a “Prime”, smooth, aromatic and pleasant coffee, and 460g cost about 15 dollars.
Guatemala is the biggest coffee producer in Central America, and this fact puts this small country in a global scene. Despite of the solid industry achieved through this exquisite grain, its producers have been suffering with the volatility of coffee prices and looking for more Government incentives to keep their production stable.
ALFA