Costa Rica
Costa Rica appears among the largest coffee producers of Central America, but it is recognized as producer of traditional, balanced and well processed Arabica. This country received its first seedlings of Cuba towards the end of the 18th century. Only Arabica is cultivated there, since a law prohibits the culture of robusta. The most famous costarican varieties of coffee are San Marcos de Tarrazu, Tres Rios, Heredia, Alajuela, Dota and Paos Volcano. These coffees are processed using the wet method, which give the coffee a full and soft body and a marked acidity.
In 2007, Costa Rica produced 1.791.000 bags and exported 1.360.000 of them. In 2008, the production of coffee in Costa Rica slightly dropped, with a total of 1.592.000 bags.
Cuba
Cuba produces, even in small quantities, natural and washed Arabica coffee. Its best quality is Torquino, a vigorous coffee, acidulated and strong in mouth.
The production of coffee in Cuba, in 2000, reached the 341.000 bags. Since, the production of coffee drops considerably every year; in 2007, the production was of 70.000 bags. The cuban coffee seems to make great strides in 2008, with a production of 133.000 bags.
Dominican Republic
The most widespread quality is Santo Domingo which have a full and strong taste. The Barahone quality must undergo a darker roast and has a more acid taste. The other well known varieties are Cibao and Ocoa. All of these varieties are produced according to the wet method. Juncalito and Oura qualities give a soft and light coffee.
Café Femenino origin
Altitude of the cultures: 600 to 1500 meters.
Period of harvest: September to February.
After a depression in the production of coffee in 2005 and 2006 (respective production of 310.000 and 387.000 bags), the production of coffee makes great stride in 2007 with a total production of 465.000 bags and in 2008, the production continue to rise up to 500.000 bags.
El Salvador
A natural and washed Arabica as well as Maragogype are cultivates. The three quarters of the production are intended for foreigners. As in Ecuador, the coffee is produced in altitude, which allows to obtain a coffee with a light, soft taste and with a moderate acidity. The plantations cultivated at lower altitudes produce a less vigorous coffee named Central Standard. The Salvadorian coffee is processed by the wet method. The country produces also an extraordinary quality - Pacamara, whose bean size is between the Maragogype and the traditional one. This coffee is sought by the French roasters; its taste is frank, its body light and its acidity is very low.
Altitude of the cultures: 450 to 650 meters.
In 2007, El Salvador produced 1.621.000 bags, an increase of 18% over 2006. On the other hand, in 2008, the production knows a decrease and reaches the 1.400.000 bags.
Jamaica
This is the most snuffed coffee in the world and also one of the most expensive. The blue Mountain was imported of Martinique at the beginning of the 18th century by an English. Its bluish beans are preserved in wood barrels of 20 kilos instead of the traditional jute bags of 60 kilos. The request of Japan exceeds what Jamaica can offer. The jamaican coffee is cultivated in the mountainous areas, Jamaica excels for its High Mountain varieties, such as Jamaica Mountain, Choice and PRIMA Washed.
In spite of what people could believe, the annual production of Jamaica did not exceed the 50.000 bags, actually not since 2000. The annual production is rather constant and is in the 35.000 bags. A decrease of production (20 000 bags) in 2007, made place to a production of 40.000 bags in 2008.
Guatemala
Guatemala must also be counted among the countries which satisfy the world needs, thanks to its biological coffees especially coming from the Antigua area. Cultivated qualities are washed Arabica and Robusta. The arabica quality includes several subvarieties such as: Bourbon, Tipica, Maragogype, Coban, Antigua, Amatitlan, San Macos, Fraijanes and Huehuetenago. They are considered as specialty coffees, processed by the wet method and intended mostly for export. The product is strong and has a higher rate of acidity, as well as a spiced and chocolatey flavour.
Café Femenino origin
Altitude of the cultures: 700 to 1700 meters.
In 2007, Guatemala produced 4.100.000 bags, an increase of 1,26% over 2006. The production in 2008 fell considerably to reach the 3.370.000 bags.
Haïti
After many years of political disturbances, coffee harvesting in Haiti, is now organized in small co-operatives. The most famous quality is Haitian Blue, comparable to the Blue Montain of Jamaica.
Since 2001, the production of coffee in Haiti fell under the bar of the 400.000 bags. The production turns now around the 360.000 bags; the production in 2007 is of 359.000 bags, followed-up by a slight decrease in 2008 with 350.000 bags.
Honduras
In 1999, the coffee accounted for 22% of the products exported by Honduras. Processed according to the wet method, the Honduran coffee is often used to correct the deficiencies of other qualities. Natural Arabica and Maragogype often comes from Honduras. The coffee is generally light and not very acidulous.
Altitude of the cultures: 700 to 2000 meters.
Period of harvest: October at March
In 2007, Honduras produced 3.842.000 bags of Arabica. The production in 2008 fell, with a total of 3.373.000 bags.
Martinique et Guadeloupe
The archipelago of Guadeloupe is important in terms of coffee history because of the presence of the coffea, formerly the most important North-American plantation. In 1789, more than a million seedlings of coffee-trees were cultivated on only 500 hectares, which produced 4000 tons of coffee. Unfortunately, Cuba and Puerto Rico saturated the market and then took away the possibility for Martinique to export. There are other reasons of this decline of production, the preference was then given to the production of sugar cane and banana. Thanks to this overseas department, France was the only European country to produce coffee. Guadeloupe doesn't export coffee anymore, whereas its production was among the best of the area. Their high-end coffee is the Bonifieur quality, considered as excellent. After disapearing of the market for about 50 years, it seems that this variety is coming back.
For the small island of Martinique, where the first American coffee-trees were planted, the coffee production have today almost gone missing. The foreground of coffee was introduced there in the years 1720 by the captain Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu, who planted it with the Preacher, where the first harvest took place in 1726. From there, seedlings were sent to Haiti, in Saint-Domigue and in Guadeloupe. Since 1777, we counted nearly 19,000,000 of coffee-trees in Martinique. Today, most exports of Martinique are now bananas, pineapples and sugar cane.
No statistics of production and export are available for Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Mexico
The Mexican coffee, with its scented but light taste, is produced entirely according to the wet process. The most assessed qualities are the following ones: Altura, Coatepec, Apachula, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Maragogype. The body is light, the taste is soft and savourous, chocolatey with a somewhat acid after-taste. The Pluma coffee is considered to be excellent. In Mexico, a great number of owners practise the organic culture.
Café Femenino Origin
In 2007, Mexico produced 4.150.000 bags. The production of 2008 went up of 500.000 bags, for a total production of 4.650.000 bags.
Nicaragua
Political problems often disturbed the culture of coffee and Nicaragua is not an exception to the rule. The revolution in 1979, made the farmers fly towards Florida, a period of uncertainty during which the government planned to redistribute the grounds. The production decreased, from a million bags to less than 600,000 bags in 1990. Nowadays the plantations returned to the hands of private companies. The best areas are in the north and the center of Nicaragua. A particular coffee worth to be discovered-- the beans of Maragogype are the most coarse in the world. The coffees cultivated in this country are appreciated for their perfume. The best Nicaraguan coffees, are known under the Central Estrictamente Altura, which are slightly acid and very aromatic. The beans of lesser quality are used the composition of many blends.
Café Femenino origin
Altitude of the cultures: 500 to 2000 meters.
After some hollows of production in 2001-2002 and 2004, Nicaragua maintains a production rather constant in the 1.500.000 bags. In 2007, the production was of 1.700.000 bags, then in 2008, of 1.600.000 bags.
Panama
The coffee of Panama is recognized for its softness, its light body and its balance. The best productions are exported to France and Finland and offer a true character and a good flavour. The best Panamanian coffees are coming from the northern part of the country, close to the border of Costa Rica and the Pacific coast. Thanks to its cultures in high-altitude on volcanic grounds, Panama takes more and more its place on the market. Panama produces many great qualities of coffee such as: Boquete, Paso Ancho, Volcano, Piedra de Candela and Renacimento.
The production of the country was above the 150.000 bags, except in 2004 with a production of 90.000 bags. With a constant production of the 173.000 bags for 2006 and 2007, the production of coffee in 2008 slightly fell to 160.000 bags.
Porto Rico
The seedlings of coffee-trees arrived from Martinique in 1736, formerly cultivated by Corsican immigrants. In 1896, Puerto Rico was the sixth world exporter and sold its coffee especially in France, in Italy, in Spain and in Cuba. Wars, cyclones and the rise of the sugar cane production, pushed back the culture of coffee. Fortunately, today the plantations set out again. Puerto Rico is an autonomous state associated with the United States, which is worth for its citizens since they benefit from advantages such as a minimum wage. The cost of hired labor is thus higher than all the other coffee producing country (except for Jamaica and Hawaii which has comparable wages). Today Puerto Rico exports fine coffees towards the United States, France and Japan. Its coffee, cultivated carefully, is soft, vigorous and aromatic. The Arabica Bourbon which was introduced a very a long time ago and certain other Porto Rican varieties of a lower output are compensated by their qualities. Several local qualities were added along the way, most of them being of a high quality, just like Yauco Selecto, which is a delicious coffee full with savour and without bitterness, with a rich and fruity taste. And the Altogrande, respectively originating from the south-west and the center-south of the island.
No statistics of production and export is available for Porto Rico.