Asharita D'Silva
Coffee experts@Era of We
6 months
Where are the coffee plantations in Panama?
Shruti Gupta
Coffee experts@Era of We
6 months
A little brief about Panama:
Panama is one of the major players in coffee production. It's famous for producing a variety of coffee that sells for more than $800 per pound. Today Panama is known as a producer of rare varieties of coffee, including "Geisha." Panama has also flourished in the sector of coffee tourism.
Placed on the 35th rank when it comes to global production of coffee. That's an average of 105,000 (60kg per bag). It produces many Arabica varieties such as Typica, Caturra, Catuai, and Grisha.
Locations of coffee plantations:
There are 3 regions in Panama where most coffee plantations are situated. These regions have Panama's three volcanoes: Volcan Baru, El Valle, and Le Yeguada.
Evidently, these coffee-growing regions have ideal microclimates, rich volcanic solids, and cool breezes that flow from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. This breeze is responsible for lowering the temperature around the mountainside coffee farms and slows down cherry ripening. And this is what makes the coffee so great, as slower ripening makes for a higher sugar concentration, and the coffee complex, naturally sweet and delicious.
Boquete and Volcan are two regions where exceptional coffee is grown. With strong transportation and great infrastructure, high-quality coffee comes from these regions. The coffee sourced from these areas, especially Boquete, can sell for up to $140 per pound. Hence, Boquete is also known as the Bordeaux of coffee.
The coffee plantations in these areas have been a popular hotspot for tourists. Some of the plantations here are Finca La Valentina, the Don Pachi Estate, and the Hacienda La Esmeralda. Each offers a unique tour and different tastes when it comes to coffee. Ps, if you'd like first-hand experience on how coffee is grown, Cafe Ruiz in Boquete is the place to go!
Another less widely known region is Renacimiento. As it's remote and a little difficult to access, it lacks infrastructure compared to the other two regions. But despite these concerns, the regions produce great specialty coffee.
Although small, Panama became well-known for its specialty coffee beans, including Geisha. Hard to grow due to its small harvesting window, Geisha is the reason why Panama got a reputation for coffee internationally.
Yker Valerio
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
6 months
Thanks for your question, Asharita.
In addition to its great location for traveling and business, one of the most attractive things about Panama is that it offers perfect microclimates for coffee production.
The country has rich volcanic soil, abundant rainfall, and pretty elevated regions. Like many other premium coffee producers such as Costa Rica, Panama has volcanic soil, which provides a unique terroir for fragrant and aromatic varietals.
Specifically, coffee-growing regions in Panama are near the country's volcanoes: Barú, El Valle, and La Yeguada.
Typically, high altitudes benefit more exquisite varietals. Additionally, Chiriquí has a solid infrastructure, which facilitates top-quality production processes. Still, premium coffee culture has grown in strength in the country, and even producers with less favorable conditions have achieved notable coffee beans too.
Panama is famous for its specialty coffee beans, mainly gesha, which is one of the finest and most expensive in the world. The majority of Panama's gesha grows at high altitudes in the Chiriquí province, although other Arabica varietals have found a great place to grow in Bocas del Toro.
Although the country is far from being one of the largest producers in volume, it's quite influential in terms of quality. The International Coffee Organization places Panama at the 35th spot in terms of coffee production, with an average annual production of 105,000 bags.
Normally, the harvesting season goes from December to March. The best-known varietals in Panama are currently Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, and Gesha.
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