Productive aspects
San Rafael del Norte is a municipality that enjoys a height between 450 meters to 1,600 meters above sea level, although the heights of the coffee zone are between 900 and 1,450 MSNM. That is why in most of the highland communities such as Chagüitones, San José, Santa María, Los Cerrones, Soledad, Providencia, La Estación, El Plantel, La Sotana, La Unión and others are conducive to the cultivation of coffee . It is from there that the Café de Altura cooperative emerges, with average heights of 1,150 MSNM on the farms of the producers, which makes it an appropriate area for the cultivation of quality coffee.
The average of coffee cultivated areas by the producer is 3.66 Hectares with an average production of 18.44 qq export gold per hectare, which represents a quantity of 625.86 hectares of coffee with an annual average supply of 11,540.85 quintals of coffee gold export for the 2019/2020 cycle.
One of the important aspects that characterizes the quality of coffee production in these areas are the coffee varieties that are grown in the municipality, all of which are of the Arabian species.
The most cultivated varieties in COOMCAFE's coffee-growing areas are: CATURRA, RED CATUAI, PARAINEMA, and approximately 6 varied CATIMOR lines. As a Cooperative, a process has been initiated for two cycles, of identification of lots of varieties of caturra, catuaí and parainema with the aim of collecting them, drying them and processing them separately to offer it as specialty coffee to customers who require this type of coffee.
One of the important aspects that characterizes the quality of coffee production in these areas are the coffee varieties that are grown in the municipality, all of which are of the Arabian species.
The most cultivated varieties in COOMCAFE's coffee-growing areas are: CATURRA, RED CATUAI, PARAINEMA, and approximately 6 varied CATIMOR lines. As a Cooperative, a process has been initiated for two cycles, of identification of lots of varieties of caturra, catuaí and parainema with the aim of collecting them, drying them and processing them separately to offer it as specialty coffee to customers who require this type of coffee.
Ripe coffee
Delivery of coffee plant to partner
All coffee is harvested by small producers using family labor and in the least case hiring labor in the area. Once the grain is cut, it is pulped in small individual wet beneficiary structures that each associate possesses and goes on to a fermentation process of about 12 to 18 hours. After this time, the coffee is washed to remove the mucilage and classified to be delivered to the collection center of the cooperative sometimes wet and sometimes wet.
According to recent Tastings, the product of our associates results in coffee with Medium Acidity, Good Body and chocolate flavor, achieving scores of up to 84.5 points in coffee from micro lots of Caturra and Catuaì varieties, characteristics that through Two years have been improved and maintained due to the collection system that has been implemented and that includes separation by height, quality and variety, which is the beginning of an initiative to achieve in the near future, the microlot supply With high cup quality.
According to recent Tastings, the product of our associates results in coffee with Medium Acidity, Good Body and chocolate flavor, achieving scores of up to 84.5 points in coffee from micro lots of Caturra and Catuaì varieties, characteristics that through Two years have been improved and maintained due to the collection system that has been implemented and that includes separation by height, quality and variety, which is the beginning of an initiative to achieve in the near future, the microlot supply With high cup quality.
