Colombia Colombian speciality coffee

Although coffee production in Colombia did not become a large commercial industry until the 19th century, it is likely that coffee was introduced to Colombia about a century earlier by Jesuit priests.

Once commercial production started, it spread quickly. The first commercial coffee plantations were established in the east, near the border with Venezuela. Today, coffee is widespread and grown commercially in 20 of Colombia’s 32 departments.

Historically, Colombia’s most renowned coffee-growing region has been the Eje Cafetero (Coffee Axis), also known as the ‘Coffee Triangle’. This region includes the departments of Caldas, Quindío and Risaralda. With a combined total area of 13,873 km² (5,356 mi²), the region covers about 1.2% of Colombian territory and makes up 15% of the total land planted under coffee in the country. The region has also been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

While the Eje Cafetero is still a coffee-producing powerhouse, coffee production in Colombia now extends far beyond this zone. In recent years, the departments of Huila, Tolima, Cauca and Nariño have become sought-after and well-known coffee-growing regions. These departments rose to such prominence thanks, in part, to their high-scoring submissions in national and international cupping competitions, such as the Cup of Excellence.

Today, there are an estimated 540,000 coffee producers in the country; around 95% of these are smallholder farmers with landholdings under 5 hectares. These farmers collectively contribute around 16% of the country’s annual agricultural GDP.

Most farmers conduct primary processing (pulping and drying) on their own farms. Processing infrastructure varies widely but there are noticeable similarities between farms of similar sizes or regions. Broadly speaking, most farms have traditionally used the fully washed method and use dry pulping to minimise water usage.

Drying processes in Colombia are innovative and varied. Farmers may spread their parchment across the flat roofs (elvas) of their houses to dry slowly – sometimes in the shade but more often in the sun.

In parts of Antioquia, drying ‘drawers’ are used. These are sets of moveable drying screens that can be pulled out from under the house or storage sheds when the weather is warm and pushed back under shelter when it rains.

Polytunnels and parabolic beds are also commonly used, particularly in high-altitude and cooler zones. These structures are usually raised beds constructed similarly to mini-greenhouses, with plastic sheeting stretched over an arched frame and openings at both ends to ensure airflow. They protect parchment from wet weather, while the even airflow allows for drying even in humid conditions.

As Colombian farmers increasingly access speciality markets, they are producing more naturals and honeys of exceptional quality. And these processes are not limited to a select few. Along with naturals and honeys, experimentally processed coffees are now coming from a variety of regions.