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c Origin

Central
American

Mexico and El Salvador Mexico was next to start Guatemala Finally, the last of the horsemen, Guate-
growing coffee commercially in 1790, the same year mala, began growing coffee commercially in 1850, the
the first wholesale coffee roasting plant opened in the same year the first cylinder pulper was manufactured.
United States, on Great Dock Street in New York. As As with El Salvador, Guatemala was heavily reliant on
with Costa Rica, the first seeds to be planted in Mexi- the indigo crop, but the emergence of synthetic dyes
co are thought to have come from Cuba.Central reduced demand dramatically and the government
America began exporting coffee to the United States proactively promoted the switch to coffee by distribut-
in 1840, the same year commercial coffee cultivation ing millions of seeds to farmers. Coffee farming began
came to El Salvador, though coffee was likely grown to increase dramatically around 1875. Although coffee
for household use much earlier. Although commercial farming practices are similar to other countries in the
coffee production came relatively late to El Salvador, region, Guatemala has an abundance of both water and
the industry grew rapidly as worldwide demand for volcanic soil compared to its neighbors. It cannot be
indigo, the countries pri- said that the civil war,
mary crop, declined. By which lasted over 30 years,
1900 coffee growth had had no effect on coffee
surpassed that of indigo The country invested heavily production, but relative to
and wealthy coffee pro- the effect of internal unrest
ducers reordered the rul- in coffee and by 1980 coffee on coffee in other Central
ing class. The country American countries, the
invested heavily in coffee accounted for over 50% of GDP. industry in Guatemala
and by 1980 coffee ac- thrived. A coffee associa-
counted for over 50% of tion, Anacafe, was formed
GDP. As a result of inter- in the early 1960’s and has
nal unrest, volatility in the coffee market, and increased done an exceptional job organizing producers and
production in other countries, coffee now accounts for marketing their coffee to the world. Anacafe identified
less than 5% of GDP. Nevertheless, El Salvador remains and responded to the needs of the specialty coffee
and important origin for specialty coffee, in no small sector very early, compared to other countries.
part because 80% of coffee is grown under shade.

We are decades past the days when the coffee trade considered one Central American coffee as good as an-
other (“I need a horse,” pit traders were known to yell, back in the day). Today, not only are the Four Horsemen
as distinct from one another as their namesakes, but within each country, identifying micro-climates, farms
within micro-climates, and micro-lots within farms, is common.

Ref. Olam Coffee is an importer, exporter, producer and marketplace for the finest specialty green coffees.
www.olamspecialtycoffee.com

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