Over the last decade, small farmers have come together with various organizations to unify and work to sustain a higher set price to protect them from the previous pitfalls of selling their coffee. This strengthening and empowerment has seen better infrastructure and a more sustainable income for several Peruvian Coffee Farmers. As a result, Peru is now #2 behind Mexico in producing Fair Trade Organic Coffee. The cooperatives have invested in the Farmers and with help from donations there is now a sense of stability in a region where there was minimal productivity or growth.
Peruvian coffee is almost exclusively Arabica, with some 70 percent being of the typical variety, 20 percent caturra, and 10 percent other varieties. The vast majority of these coffees are grown by smallholder farmers in high-altitude locations in naturally shade protected conditions, where it is typically hand-picked and sun-dried.
Peru has a very high altitude for coffee harvest (for ex. Coffee SHB from Puno is cultivated from 3,800 until 4,000m of altitude). Then, over 80% of national coffee production is certified organic (through all types of certification: Organic, FLO, IMO-CONTROL)
Coffee production is of extreme importance for export in Peru (as it accounts for more than a quarter of Peru’s overall exports – and in steady increase for 6 years). The future for coffee production increases year on year and it appears the future is favorable.
Size: 1.2 million sq km
Capital City: Lima
Population: 30.7 million
Language: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)
Average farm size: 3 hectares
Annual production: 4.2 million bags
Bags exported annually: 4 million bags
Annual domestic consumption: 170,000 bags
Growing regions and sizes: Amazonas, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Cusco, Huánaco, Junin, Pura, Puno, Villa Rica
Varieties: Bourbon, Typica, Catuai, Caturra, Mundo Novo, Pache
Processing Methods: Washed
Bag Size: 69 kg
Harvest Period: August to October
Shipment Period: November to December