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It is no coincidence that the Bank of Guatemala immortalized the coffee harvest on the banknotes it issued - along with portraits of historical figures. Simple farm labor on the plantation is depicted on the reverse of the 50 quetzal banknote. The figure shows all the typical features of routine work: men and women pick fruits with their hands, put them in baskets and bags. A volcano is visible in the distance. And next to it there is a coffee “undergrowth” and higher trunks of local trees. The value of this everyday activity is clear to everyone in the country. Coffee is one of the most important agricultural products that bring foreign exchange income to the state.
Coffee from the forest
Tourists who visit a coffee plantation in Guatemala for the first time with an excursion are surprised that all the plantings are under the crowns of tall trees. They create a shade that protects from the scorching tropical sun, and protect from gusty winds and downpours. The very name “Guatemala” is interpreted as “many trees”. Forests in which coffee trees grow are the most striking characteristic of the country.
By the way, a guided visit to the manor of coffee manufacturers is a popular entertainment for travelers in Latin America, where this culture is grown. This is how foreigners learn about the history of the state and learn how Arabica grows. In addition, here you can taste the national cuisine and buy coffee from the manufacturer. In Guatemala, tourists are shown the main stages of the production of raw materials and their processing among the magnificent green mountain landscapes.
Eight regions
Coffee grows in the mountains. This is believed to have a beneficial effect on the richness of the grains. The height of the plantations is from 500 to 5000 m. The highlands in Guatemala are special: extinct volcanoes (and there are more than thirty of them) have fertile soil on their slopes. About 300 thousand hectares are allocated for plantations; they are found in almost all departments of the country (20 out of 22).
Distinctive features of coffee from Guatemala are determined not by the department of its production, but by the geographic region with climatic and other characteristics. For example, the plantations near the San Marcos volcano are located at an altitude of 5000 m, where the rainfalls and the highest temperatures are strongest. There are eight different natural areas in total, most of them are concentrated in the west.
When monoarabic Guatemala is characterized, agricultural areas are primarily mentioned:
- Akatenango (2000 m above sea level);
- Antigua (surrounded by three volcanoes);
- Atitlan;
- Coban (or Rainforest Cobán);
- Highland Uehue.
Fraijanes Plateau plantations are located not far from the capital. Four departments of the country grow coffee in the New Oriente region. The east of the country is less fertile and drier, but there is also a volcanic chain along which plantings are located.
Famous brands
After a century (more or less successful) history of coffee cultivation in Guatemala, agricultural technology and processing received a new impetus in the middle of the 19th century. Europeans had a great influence on this industry: wealthy immigrants from Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, England, the Netherlands. In the list of long-established manufacturers:
- León;
- Isabel;
- Capeuleu.
The Leon brand appeared in 1938 thanks to Leon Zapiko. The company has retained its leading position in the production of quality coffee (extra and first grade). For forty years there has been a coffee museum of this company, demonstrating all stages of cultivation and processing.
Arabica has been grown on the Santa Isabel estate since 1899: the German Lenhoff family found the ideal setting for the coffee industry, with all the equipment designed and manufactured by local craftsmen.
French roots go back to the founders of the Capeuleu brand. For the production of this variety, raw materials are used that are grown at an altitude of 1500 meters in the Antigua region, as well as near Lake Atitlan and the Agua volcano.
The amazing grains that the country can boast of are Maragodjeep. They are twice (and sometimes more) larger than normal grains. Such a curiosity comes from Brazil, but has taken root here too. Interestingly, the taste of this largest Arabica is considered the best in Guatemala.
What does Guatemala monoarabic taste like, it's best to try it yourself. In the "Coffeeynya" you can buy coffee produced in this country and appreciate its merits and originality.
Importance for the economy
The total volume of coffee production and export from year to year allows Guatemala to occupy high positions in world rankings, including in the TOP-10. In Central and South America, it is in the TOP-5. The country has been selling Arabica overseas since the mid-19th century.
Guatemalans receive over $ 700 million annually from coffee exports. Coffee from Guatemala comes mainly to the USA, where the products are further processed. Germany and other European countries also buy quality beans, relying on Guatemalan coffee as much as Brazilian and Vietnamese.
Since coffee yield depends on many components, the total production differs from time to time. But on average - about 4 million bags per year. Bag - 60 kg. A third of the working-age population is engaged in coffee productionvatemala. Branded products for importing countries are under constant control. Quality is monitored by the country's Coffee Association: it analyzes plants, soil and water. It is thanks to these studies that eight rural regions have been identified that differ in the specificity of coffee beans.
