Panama Coffee – The Best In Specialty Industry

– FIND THE ORIGIN –

Although coffee has been grown in Panama since the beginning of the 20th century, the country has only been famous for its high-quality coffee sources in the last 20 years.

Today, thanks to the resounding success of the Geisha coffee variety, Panama is recognized as a producer of high-quality coffee. It is loved and sought after by many roasters, baristas and connoisseurs consumer purchase.

Learn more about Panama coffee and how this exciting country has become everyone’s dream source of Specialty coffee.

Manufacturing sites in Panama

As a tropical country along the Coffee Belt, Panama has an ideal climate for growing this crop. According to USDA data, more than 80% of the coffee grown in Panama is arabica, while the remaining 20% ​​is robusta.

Robusta is mainly grown in low-altitude regions, including Cocle, Panama Oeste, Colón, Veraguas, Herrera, Los Santos, Bocas del Toro, Panama Este and Darien.

The mountainous highlands of Chiriquí Province provide perfect conditions for arabica plants to grow. Perhaps most famous is the mountain town of Boquete for its unsurpassed quality of arabica, thanks in part to its altitude between 1,000 and 2,800 meters above sea level.

Coffee grown in Chiriquí is mainly exported, while robusta grown in the lower regions of Panama is primarily grown for domestic consumption.

This country consumes about 20 million kg of coffee per year. The average person here uses 5 kg/person. This number is relatively high in most producing countries, while in most, consumption is usually between one and three kilograms per capita.

Chiriquí Province

The mountainous plateaus of Chiriquí Province have the ideal altitude for growing arabica varieties. The three main coffee growing areas in Chiriquí are Boquete, Tierras Altas and Renacimiento.

The province also lies along the Central American Volcanic Arc (CAVA) that includes Volcán Barú, which boasts the highest extreme point in the country at 3,474 meters above sea level.

Volcán Barú is an active volcano that last erupted in the 16th century. This eruption, believed to have occurred about 450 years ago, has provided mineral-rich volcanic ash to the surrounding soil, which is ideal for coffee cultivation.

The Chiriqu region also benefits from the country’s distinct weather patterns. Panama has over 100 “microclimates,” which implies that weather varies greatly from area to region.

What varieties are grown in Panama?

Panama’s unique conditions allow producers to grow several high-quality varieties, including Catuai, Caturra, Maragogype, Pacamara and Mundo Novo, among many others. Today, however, Panama is known primarily as the world’s most acceptable source of Gesha coffee.

Even though Gesha originated in Ethiopia, it is Panama where this coffee variety is most widely known. Cultivated in Panama since the 1960s, Gesha coffee impresses with its unique flavor and distinct grain structure. Geisha has a good sweetness and bright acidity, a variety of fruit flavors and delicate floral aromas.

Panama Specialty Coffee Association

Although the Geisha variety arrived in Panama in the 1960s, it was not until 1997 that the Panamanian Specialty Coffee Association (SCAP) was formed.

The founding members of SCAP set the goal of replanting coffee within their farm system with an innovation focus on quality rather than high yield. They carefully evaluate and select the main coffee varieties cultivated and developed.

In 1998, a year after SCAP was established, the Best of Panama (BOP) competition was born. In 2001, BOP held its first international online auction, which saw buyers worldwide offer incredible bids for Panamanian coffees.

These auctions have brought Panama coffee, especially coffee originating from Panama, widespread recognition. It was considered a huge triumph for manufacturers to attain a price of $2/pound.

Panama’s specialty coffee consumption culture

Panama before 2000, the demand for specialty coffee in Panama was tiny. However, with the change in the production structure, more and more specialty coffee shops appear all over the country, clearly reflecting the supply and demand situation in this country. In addition, there are more and more opportunities to access, share and learn in Panama, allowing consumers to enhance their knowledge and tastes.

In addition to increasing domestic demand, the world-scale demand for Panama coffee has also increased significantly. Roasters, traders and suppliers of specialty coffee worldwide are always in short supply and are looking for quality sources everywhere. In particular, the Gesha Panama coffee variety is also considered a “lucky luggage” for players in international coffee arenas.

In the future, the biggest challenge facing the Panama coffee industry is to continue to innovate. However, there is also a need to continue increasing internal consumption and encourage Panamanian coffee consumers to be “ambassadors” for the quality of coffee cultivated in their nation.