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Brazil is the world’s leading coffee producer, ahead of Vietnam and Colombia. It supplies around one third of global production. Suffice to say, it calls the shots on the stock market.&nbsp;
Brazil boasts a light intensity and regular rainfall that allow crops to be grown in full sun. Most regions are flat, some are irrigated. Widespread introduction of mechanical harvesting and farming operations have more than doubled yields over the last 10 years, without increasing the planted surface area.​&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;The 4 main production areas are:​&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Minas Gerais (Cerrado, Sul de Minas, Minas Gerais, Mountains and Minas Chapada)​&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li>State of Bahia&nbsp;</li>
<li>State of Espirito Santo&nbsp;</li>
<li>State of Sao Paulo&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;Brazil is huge, covering a total surface area of 8,547,877 km², which is 15 times the size of France. It spreads over almost half of the South American continent. It shares borders with Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname. Brazil’s size, landscape, climate and rich soils make it an extremely rich and diverse country.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Its coffee plantations cover some 27,000 km², mainly in the southern states of Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo and Paraná, whose environment and climate offer ideal growing conditions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bolivia produces 100% Arabica, with mountainous landscapes in medium-sized land areas of approximately 4 ha per family. Producers have other products on their plots that are mostly used for their own consumption and not for trade.

YUNGAS PROJECT, reforestation and MATRIARCAS PROJECT, women's coffee

Coffee in Bolivia grows in temperate climates, mountainous landscapes, clay soil and an altitude between 1000 and 2000 meters above sea level.

Historical regions&nbsp;
Caranavi Yungas
New coffee belt&nbsp;
Asunta, Villatunari, Buena Vista

&nbsp;Colombia produces exclusively Arabica, because Robusta is neither supported nor authorized by the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation, the FNC. This means we cannot export Robusta because there can be no certificate of origin, and because no phytosanitary rules have been established for this type of coffee. Coffee production is the main source of employment in rural areas.&nbsp;
The coffee-growing regions are mountainous areas. 90% of producers have very small plantations (0.80 hectares on average). The average age of a grower is 53. Many producers practice mixed farming to diversify their income (chickens, eggs, etc.). Numerous local associations and cooperatives have been set up to help growers through the various stages of the supply chain: growing, harvesting, post-harvest processing, transport, packaging, projects and certification.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ed in infrastructure and technological equipment for the low-income scho

Colombia is located at the north-western tip of South America and covers an area of 1,141,748 km². It is bordered by the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. It is crossed from north to south by the Andes mountain range, which divides into three branches near its southern end: the Cordillera Occidental, the Cordillera Central and the Cordillera Oriental. To the east of the Cordillera Oriental lie the Orinoco river, the Llanos plain and the Colombian Amazon. Colombia’s other mountain ranges include the Serranía del Baudó and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Six of their summits stand higher than 5,000 metres. The different climates are determined by the amount of rainfall. In the plains and lowlands (situated at an altitude of less than 500 metres), the average temperature is 25 °C. The mountains and valleys located at altitudes of over 500 metres have a wide diversity of climates. They can be very humid, rainy, dry, and even very dry. The country’s size and geographical diversity partly explain the great aromatic diversity and the different harvest periods.&nbsp;

Ecuador produces both Arabica and Robusta. Coffee used to be part of the top ten exported products but disapeared from statistics during the last two decades while cocoa production was getting every year higher.
The coffee region is mountainous and 90% of producers own small lands (1.2 hectares on average). During the last decade a specialty coffee production arose boosted by high prices and a new type of farmer appeared taking advantage of an unique availability of fancy varieties (Typica Mejorado, Sidra, Nestlé) and special growing conditions. &nbsp;

The industry is segmented according to the different stages of production: growers, collectors and exporters. The growers deliver their cherries to collectors (akrabi), who own the necessary washing and drying stations to process cherries and parchment. Each collector is licenced to operate in a specific woreda (district). Growers also dry some cherries for sale to collectors of husks (djenfel), to create grade 4 and 5 natural lots. Some have their own stations and process their own cherries; these are generally farmers owning more than 35 hectares of land.&nbsp;
The collectors then deliver their lots to the ECX (Ethiopian Commodity Exchange) auction market, or directly to exporters under a vertical integration contract. Each grower, collector and exporter must have its own licence. It is possible for one person to own all licences.&nbsp;
Foreigners are not entitled to apply for a licence, but are authorised to operate as agents (Commercial Representative Office, or CRO). Those with investor status can own a plantation of at least 150 hectares and export their own production.&nbsp;

<ul>
<li>Station de lavage de Tatmara</li>
<li>Gestion de la canopée (Jimma, Kaffa)</li>
</ul>

Ethiopia is Arabica’s country of origin. It offers a rich mix of terroirs, biodiversity and practices that are unlike any other in the world of coffee. The high-altitude rainforests in the south-western region of present-day Ethiopia are where Arabica coffee originated from. Farmers still use these forests to grow coffee, in more or less complex agroforestry systems.&nbsp;
The Kaffa and Yayu biosphere reserves are now protected by UNESCO. Thousands of unidentified varieties grow there. 150 have been identified, and 35 are distributed by the Jimma Research Centre (JRC). They serve as a reservoir, a bit like a savings account, from which both JRC researchers and growers can draw to manage diseases such as rust or adapt to new growing altitudes and climate change. Wild coffee trees grow in nature at altitudes of 500 to 2,400 metres.&nbsp;
Local farmers have used their in-depth knowledge of the forests to develop original, resilient farming systems. The Jimma-Limmu-Gera, Nekemte and Kaffa appellation areas in the south-west and the Guji and West Arsi appellation areas to the south are dominated by a semi-forest system. In southern (Yirgacheffe, Sidama) and eastern (Harrar) Ethiopia, there are mostly orchards (gardens), with varying degrees of agroforestry adoption. Coffee is grown mainly in the highlands in southern and south-western Ethiopia, at altitudes ranging from 1,500 to 2,400 metres. Harvesting often coincides with the dry season, which means that all the coffees we supply can be sun-dried on tables.

Guatemala has grown coffee since the mid-17th century. There are currently more than 305,000 hectares of coffee, representing 2.8% of national soil and spreading across the country’s 22 departments. 98% of producers grow coffee on a small scale, and less than 1% are large-scale farmers. Over 80% of the coffee exported is of a high quality, what we call a “SHB” (strictly hard bean) grade. Coffee is the second most important agricultural export after sugar. There are 8 coffee-growing regions. The highest production volume was recorded between, with 5 million bags of coffee, before the 2011 crisis hit.

Guatemala has numerous microclimates, explained by altitudes ranging from 0 to 4,211 metres. There are 37 volcanoes, which produce a soil ideal for coffee growth, as well as numerous mountains and rivers. It is also bordered by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In Peru, coffee is produced in 210 rural districts located in 47 provinces of 10 departments. The area cultivated with coffee occupies 230,000 hectares distributed in three zones, being the most appropriate region to obtain the best yields with high quality the one located in the jungle zone, under a tropical ecology. Eighty-five percent of Peruvian producers have properties that fluctuate between 0.5 and 5 hectares. Coffee grows with relative ease from 600 to 1,800 meters above sea level in almost all geographical regions of Peru. However, 75% of the coffee plantations are above 1,000 meters above sea level. The diversity of combinations of climates, soils, precipitation and sunlight constitute a propitious scenario for the cultivation of coffee. Peruvian coffees are of the Coffea arabica type, with different flavor, aroma and acidity profiles. The varieties of coffee cultivated in Peru are Typica (70%), Caturra (20%) and others (10%). 90% of Peruvian coffee is grown under shade, with an average density of 2,000 plants per hectare. In accordance with current trends, some groups of Peruvian farmers have specialized and work in organic and other specialty coffees, recognized for their profile and peculiar characteristics such as cup quality, acidity and balanced flavor that adjusts very well to the microclimates, temperature and strict altitude.

- Belco and Coopagro, carried out a project to improve drying facilities of the Coopagro members of La Palma Central village by building and installing 18 coffee drying modules and training the coffee growers in the drying process and the correct use of the installed modules. It finalized in july 2022. The goals were: to reduce the losses of coffee producers, to standardize a homogenous drying process and to obtain a consistent cup profile which translates in better grower's income.
- Belco and Coopagro, are carrying out a project to contribute to, social, and economic sustainability of this regienvironmentalon. This project is called: "Plantation of timber trees and renovation of coffee cultivation". The idea is: to avoid deforestation of the Peruvian jungle by planting different types of timber trees around their coffee plantations, allowing them to make use of this wood in a few years while generating shade for their crops in favor of biodiversity and organic matter improvement. And to renew the crop with a new variety of coffee that allows them to maintain lower production costs while improving the cup profile to get a higher prime.
 &nbsp;

Peru is located in the central and western part of South America. It has a continental area of 1,285,216.60 km², which represents 0.87% of the planet, distributed in coastal region 136,232.85 km² (10.6%), Andean region 404,842.91 km² (28.4%) and Amazon region 62% (782,880.55 km²).
The Peruvian Sea or Sea of Grau is the part of the Pacific Ocean that extends along the Peruvian coast for an extension of 3080 km1 and a width of 200 miles offshore. Its great ichthyological richness is the result of the Humboldt and El Niño sea currents. Its sovereign sea has a maritime area of 991,194.97 km², being a country with a great hydrological potential.
Peru's highest peak is the Huascarán in the Cordillera Blanca, with an altitude of 6768 masl; the lowest area is the Sechura depression at -34 m.b.s.l. the deepest valley is the Cotahuasi Canyon, surpassing even the famous Colorado Canyon; the longest river in Peru is the Ucayali River (tributary of the Amazon River with 1771 km in length; the highest navigable lake in the world is Lake Titicaca in Puno/Peru with 8380 km² and the largest island of the Peruvian coast is the San Lorenzo Island in Callao with 16.48 km². It is the third largest country in South America.

El Salvador is a land of volcanoes. There are 23 throughout the country, 5 of which are active. The country has a surface area of 21,041 km², making it the smallest in Central America. It has an essentially mountainous topography, although the Pacific coast that runs down the side of the country is flat. Its highest point is El Pital, which stands at 2,730 metres. In terms of climate, it has a wet season, a dry season, and tropical weather all year round.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Bio label guarantees products from organic farming that comply with the requirements of European legislation.

Bird Friendly certification focuses primarily on preserving bird habitats. Scientists at the Smithsonian National Zoo &amp; Conservation Biology Institute developed it, initially for the coffee sector, in order to conserve habitat and protect migratory songbirds. The habitat promoted by Bird Friendly guarantees a mix of cover, tree height and biodiversity that creates a quality habitat for birds and other wildlife.

Fair for Life certification promotes an approach to fair trade that enables all socio-economically disadvantaged producers and workers to access a wider range of social and economic benefits. Fair for Life's principles apply to countries in both the 'South' and the 'North', and to the entire supply chain covering producers, buyers, processors and brand owners.

Demeter certification guarantees that the product comes from 100% biodynamic farms that work according to seasonal rhythms and lunar cycles. Biodynamics is a profoundly holistic approach to agriculture that aims to heal the Earth. The first form of organic farming, it aims to regenerate ecosystems by taking care of every element of the farm: soil, plant, animal and human being.

The Fairtrade/Max Havelaar label is used to promote fair trade products. Fairtrade/Max Havelaar coffees are fully traceable and separated from non-certified coffees, from the field to the shop. The label guarantees that the products are grown in compliance with strict economic, social and environmental standards, thereby helping to improve the living and working conditions of producers. To find out more: https://maxhavelaarfrance.org/

The Manos de Mujer project focuses on the women producers of the Asoagrotol Galilea cooperative in Colombia, which has been certified organic since 2019.

Regenerative Organic Certified® was founded by a group of companies and associations (including Patagonia) determined to go further than the organic label. It defines its standards around a model of regenerative agriculture (regeneration of soils and their fertility, regeneration of the water cycle, regeneration of biodiversity, carbon storage) and a Human Regenerative model (workers' rights, democratic organisations, minimum income, long-term relationships, etc). Producers can be certified at three levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold), committing them to a process of continuous improvement.

Focus on the variety 74110
NAME
74 (year of creation) &amp; 110 (sample of the mother tree) 
CHARACTERISTICS 
Variety 74110 is widespread in Ethiopia. It was developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) in 1974. 
It is characterised by small cherries and small leaves that form a short, dense canopy. It has good resistance to diseases (such as Colletotrichum kahawae fungus and rust) and its drying time is fast according to the producers.

Focus on the variety 74140
NAME&nbsp;
74 (the year of its creation) &amp; 140 (sample from the mother tree, in the Metu-Bishari region).&nbsp;
CHARACTERISTICS 
The 74140 variety is found widely in Ethiopia, in the Gera, Jimma and Metu regions. It was developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) in 1974. It is a high plant with broader leaves than those of other 74 varieties and dense clusters of cherries. It is particularly resistant to diseases such as rust.&nbsp;

DECAFFEINATION WITH E.A - SUGAR CANE - BEHIND THE DOORS OF DESCAFECOL PLANT
We continue our field visits with Descafecol plant in Colombia. The aim of those visits is to stress the idea on which we base our research: decaffeination processes must be synonymous with good quality coffee. We have decided to arrange this tour of plant visits in the spirit of providing an enriching experience that will allow us to communicate more and better on the coffees with which Belco works as well as about the partners or players together with whom we are responsible of ensuring traceability and quality in the coffee that arrives at the roasters’.
Descafecol is located in Manizales, one of the main special coffees region in Colombia. It was created in 1988 and is the only decaffeination plant in Colombia.
Decaffeination with Ethyl Acetate, derived from sugar cane
During the plant visit, Mauricio Jaramillo -Commercial Director- and Sven Dabelstein -General Manager- explained the way in which Ethyl acetate (EA) acts, adding that it is a natural component present in some fruits, especially in ripe fruit.
What is EA?
Ethyl acetate (EA) as is a solvent derived from sugar cane which, used in proper conditions and in adequate amounts, is an excellent selective remover of caffeine.
Decaffeination with EA follows a 6-step process:
1. Expansion: The first stage of the process consists of exposing the bean to a steam treatment with the purpose of opening the pores and expanding the bean.
2. Removal: The bean is then immersed into EA, whereby the caffeine present in the coffee bean adheres to the liquid. This process shall be repeated 6 successive times with fresh fluid, free from caffeine.
3. Pure caffeine
4. Drying: the drying process is performed in vacuum dryers, which allows for quick and homogeneous drying.
5. Cooling: the beans are then cooled in a ventilated silo in order to lower their temperature and to keep them from continuing to lose moisture
6. Polishing
In addition to the decaffeination treatment, two types of quality control are undertaken in Descafecol’s laboratory. The first is a physical and chemical analysis of the bean that seeks to measure the residual amount of caffeine, which must not exceed 0.1%, and the residual EA, which must amount to a maximum of 20ppm.
The second analysis measures the organoleptic properties of the coffee, comparing its profiles before and after the decaffeination process.
Some data from the extraction
It should also be noted that these stages are defined based on time, caffeine saturation, and waxes in the liquid (EA). However, the reusage of the EA will have its limitations, given that DESCAFECOL will analyze in its laboratory the deterioration of the EA’s chemical structure and, based on the results, will define whether it is to be reused or discarded.
What happens with the residual caffeine?
The caffeine recovered from the process is of great value in the pharmaceutical industry, for energy drinks, and even as a natural insecticide. We are told that Descafecol recovers the NATURAL RAW CAFFEINE from the decaffeination process.
Organic coffee &amp; E.A decaffeination
The issue of using EA to produce organic coffee has been discussed at length in the industry. Descafecol firmly states that EA is a completely natural component.
Points to remember
Once decaffeinated, coffee becomes slightly sweeter.

Belco, Sudus Coffee and Delonghi have made a commitment to sustainability by developing the “Flower Corridors” project.
This initiative by Sudus, together with a team of botanists, biologists and entomologists, involves planting corridors of flowers and shade trees on the Quindío farms selected for the project.
Nurseries for flowering plants and shade trees will be built, and training will be provided on the impact and benefits of biodiversity and shade in coffee growing.&nbsp;

Discover our range of sustainable green coffees, sourced directly from our partner producers in our agencies in Ethiopia, El Salvador and Colombia.

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