Where is Arabica coffee grown? Where is coffee grown

Probably, there is no such person who would not like to drink a cup of aromatic coffee. But not everyone knows how, for example, where coffee grows and where its homeland is located.

Let's try to solve the mystery of these magical coffee beans.

To get to our table, coffee beans must go on a long journey, as they are "born" in distant lands. As you know, the madder family unites up to five thousand species of bushes and trees, and fifty of them are coffee trees that give us fruits from which you can make delicious and aromatic coffee. In which countries does coffee grow? The place of germination of these bushes and trees are the tropical regions of Africa, as well as Asia and America.

In general, there are about 6 billion coffee trees on our planet, which cover an area of ​​​​about 4.5 million hectares. Most of the trees that grow on coffee plantations belong to this type of coffee, like Arabica or Arabian.

These wonderful coffee trees have a lot in common, although there are many varieties of them. These are low trees that reach a height of up to 5 meters. But, if the tree is not taken care of, then it can grow up to 9 meters, which leads to a decrease in yield. Therefore, in order to facilitate the care of the coffee tree and the harvest, it is low trees that are cultivated.



How does coffee grow? The shiny, dark green leaves can last up to 4 years on a coffee tree. In their axils, the leaves hide fragrant white flowers, which, in their appearance, resemble jasmine. The black-blue or red fruits of the tree are the size of a cherry. If you open these fruits, you can see two flat-convex seeds that are dressed in a cornea and covered with a silvery skin. These seeds, with their flat sides adjacent to each other, are the fruits of the coffee tree, namely coffee beans, which allow us to enjoy delicious coffee.

The type of coffee tree, and, of course, its fruits, is very dependent on mail, climatic conditions, as well as on the variety and method of cultivation. A warm climate, stable temperatures and loose soil are all that are needed for good growth of coffee trees. These wonderful trees are sensitive to temperature changes. At high temperatures, the fruits ripen quickly, which leads to a deterioration in the quality of the coffee. At the same time, the cold has a detrimental effect on these tender trees - if the air temperature drops below 8 degrees, the tree dies. And for this reason, coffee trees do not grow in Europe. They can only be seen in botanical gardens.



The height at which the coffee tree grows also affects the quality of coffee - the higher the height, the slower the maturation of coffee beans and, at the same time, the quality of coffee improves significantly. Of course, the location of coffee plantations is also of great importance. For example, direct sunlight has a detrimental effect on coffee trees. Therefore, in order to protect trees from exposure to sunlight and reap a good harvest, trees are planted on plantations - erythrins.

Usually coffee trees bear fruit up to 60 years. But the best fruitful cycle of a coffee tree lasts about 15 years. For a year, one tree can produce up to 3 kg of coffee beans.

These trees are very whimsical, and therefore they need constant caring care. In addition, there are many diseases and pests that destroy not only coffee beans, but also the trees themselves. By the way, at home you can also grow this amazing tree from seedlings. And after careful care, after 2 years this tender tree will give you beautiful white flowers, the pleasant smell of which will fill the whole house. Yes, and you can get a good harvest - up to 0.5 kg of green coffee beans per year, from which you can make your favorite and delicious drink. But you can read about how to grow a coffee tree only in another article.

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Most people tend to go to extremes, you can't blame them. I am also interested to know: which building is the tallest and which pepper is the hottest. But, unfortunately, the reality is often different from the tempting publications that can be found on the Internet. However, there is one question that everyone asks sooner or later:

What is the best coffee in the world?

In this article, I will test how deep the rabbit hole goes, armed with statistics that will help resolve this age-old debate.

My text is for real coffee fanatics. If you are one of them and are also looking for the best coffee in the world, then after reading this article to the end you will be able to find the answer to your question.

Tricky question...

Conducting this kind of discussion is not an easy task. If a coffee lover says something like: “the most delicious coffee is Indonesian” or “the most aromatic coffee is coffee from Brazil”, then this will not be entirely true.

There are many types of coffee trees and ways of processing coffee beans, the final taste of the drink largely depends on these two factors. For example, coffee from Indonesia, the country includes about 16,056 islands, which differ from each other in soil composition, grain processing methods, and types of coffee trees. The most significant differences we see between coffee from Sumatra, Java and Bali.

Indeed, the place of origin of coffee matters, but if we want to find the best of the best, we need a more objective approach. The phrase "French wine is the best" would not make much sense for the same reason. Obviously, there is a huge difference between cheap French wine from the supermarket and the legendary Château Lafitte-Rothschild.

Therefore, to draw up a complete picture, you need to pay attention to 4 factors that affect the properties of coffee:

• Grade;
• Origin;
• Cultivation height above sea level;
• grain processing method.

My Method

Like every self-respecting researcher trying to find answers to the fundamental questions of the 21st century, in my research I turn not to gurus, but to statistics.

Unfortunately, there is very little data on the subject of interest to us, so here I had to apply a more creative approach.

Sources

While writing this article, I drew information from several sources. The main of them were the sites: Barista Championship (The World Barista Championship), The World Brewers Cup, as well as the resource coffeereview.com. Coffee Review dates back to 1997 and is curated by professionals working in the coffee industry. During this time, the founders have cupped and evaluated over 5,000 coffee samples.

Having studied these statistics, together we will be able to give an objective answer to the question - what kind of coffee is the best in the world?

The coffeereview.com website allows you to analyze cupping results data, by the number of points scored. According to these statistics, we will understand that the coffee with the highest score is better, regardless of the variety and processing method.

About points

For a more objective assessment of coffee, experts use a strict system for assessing the quality of grain - cupping. It is carried out in strict accordance with the regulations. A cup is rated on a scale from 0 to 100.

However, the extreme values ​​of the scale are rarely obtained. Most coffee samples score between 60 and 90 points.

If the grain scores more than 80 points, then this is already Specialty Coffee (specialty coffee). To score 90 or more points, the grain must have outstanding characteristics. When evaluating coffee, the following criteria are used: taste, aroma, acidity, aftertaste and others.

"But isn't it all subjective?" - you ask. And you will be absolutely right.

Q Grader

To make the coffee evaluation process less subjective, Specialty Coffee Association ( SCA - The Specialty Coffee Association) and Coffee Quality Institute (CQI - the Coffee Quality Institute ) created the so-called Q-Grader, which helps systematize the process of sensory analysis of coffee.

In theory, all certified Q graders should grade grain with the same accuracy. To do this, professionals conduct periodic joint “calibrations” with colleagues, within which they determine common criteria.

Although the rating scales used are far from perfect, they still help determine the best varieties of coffee.

Two important notes

A bean score below 90 does not mean the coffee is bad. On the contrary, 85-89 points is a delicious premium coffee.

After analyzing the data from the Coffee Review website, you can see that there are too many coffee samples that scored 90 or more points than you might expect. There are two possible explanations for this:

• Producers and roasters provide only the best selected beans for judging;
• The cappers at www.coffeereview.com are more loyal than most Q graders.

It is likely that both statements are true to a certain extent. For a better correlation in reality, you can subtract 5 points. But, for this article it is not so important.

Where are the best coffees in the world grown?

When it comes to the best coffee producing countries, the statistics say the following:

As expected, coffee from Panama (and not Brazilian coffee at all) outperforms competitors in the coffee belt with the top 29 beans scoring 96 or more. This is because Panama is the main supplier of the Geisha variety, valued higher than Ethiopian and Kenyan coffee.

Panama coffee is closely followed by coffee from Kenya and Ethiopia with 28 and 27 top African coffees respectively. These representatives of the coffee belt are the main suppliers of coffee from Africa.

The "black horse" are samples of grain from Hawaii, which took the honorable 4th place, losing coffee from Africa. Hawaiian Kona Coffee‎ is highly prized by connoisseurs, but is rarely exported to Europe. Hawaiian coffee is most widely represented in the Japanese and US markets. But since most of the bean suppliers for Coffee Review are from Asia and America, it is possible that this led to its high ratings.

Brazilian coffee is the most popular, but quantity comes at the expense of quality.

Brazilian coffee quality

Next in the ranking are coffees from Indonesia and Colombia, with 4 coffee samples each with a high rating. Both countries are major suppliers of grain, but Colombian coffee is recognized in the world as better than Indonesian coffee.

At the same time, Vietnamese and Brazilian coffee did not make it to the top. Also, coffee from Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Burundi and Papua New Guinea are not pleased with the assessment.

Thus, if we want to find the best coffee, we should focus on the "big three": Panama, Ethiopia and Kenya. Kenyan coffee, along with Ethiopian and Panama coffee, is well ahead of the competition.

The best coffee

Let's not beat around the bush: Geisha coffee is the best. Approximately 18% of accessions of this variety scored 96-100 points on the Q-Grade scale. This variety outperforms other varieties of coffee trees in every way, with more samples at the top of the list than at the bottom.

A couple of interesting finds:

• Pacamara is sometimes compared to Geisha, but according to statistics, only 2.22% of samples of this variety managed to score the highest score. Kenyan SL28 and SL34 performed much better, while Bourbon also fell by 2.38%.
• It is worth noting that Typica has more quality problems compared to other varieties. Almost every fifth sample of Typica scored less than 89 points. This is a poor result, even when compared to the more common specialty coffees Caturra, Catuai and Bourbon.
• I would like to pay more attention to the varieties of coffee trees - Ethiopian heritage. Although Ethiopian beans are commonly referred to as "heirloom", scientists do not consider Ethiopia to be the sole home of coffee.

Video: Panama coffee
(producer Ninety Plus)

Coffee is dearly loved in many countries. Around the world, more than a billion cups of the invigorating drink are drunk daily, and in every store you can see dozens of different types of it. But not all of its connoisseurs have a complete understanding of how and where it grows.

Coffee grows on small trees, each of which bears fruit throughout the year. They can reach nine meters in height, but they are cultivated in such a way that the growth does not exceed three or four - so the grains become better and easier to collect.

The plant requires a stable, even climate and a constant temperature in the range of +18 to +23 degrees Celsius. Robusta grows at an altitude of two hundred to six hundred meters above sea level, and over nine hundred - Arabica. In the axils of a young tree there are from two to fifteen medium-sized white flowers with a diameter of about 2 centimeters, similar to jasmine.

Often in 12 months it turns out to collect not one, but two or three crops of berries that look like our cherries and are red or dark blue. The fruits are harvested by hand. One berry contains a pair of grains covered with silver-colored skin - they are used to make a drink that many people love so much.

Sometimes, instead of two grains, only one lies inside the berry. Such "single" grains, called "pearl", are much more valuable: gourmets say that coffee brewed from them turns out to be tastier than usual.

Where coffee grows

The birthplace of coffee beans is, contrary to popular belief, not in South America, but in the African country of Ethiopia - even the name "coffee" comes from one of its provinces - Kaffa, on the territory of which this plant was first discovered.

Today, coffee is grown in more than 70 countries located in Central and South America, Asia, Africa and Oceania. They are included in the so-called "coffee belt of the earth", the boundaries of which are delineated approximately twenty degrees north and south of the equator. The warm and stable temperatures here are perfect for these trees.

In which countries does coffee grow?

A significant number of countries are engaged in the cultivation of coffee - suffice it to say that its market is second only to oil in its turnover, and the professional activities of more than twenty million people living on the planet are connected with it. But far from everywhere, the export of this product brings a large, significant profit - about 75% of its world production falls on Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia and Indonesia, which are the largest exporters.

The largest supplier of coffee is Brazil: the country accounts for almost a third of total sales. More than 50 million 60 kg bags of coffee beans are harvested here throughout the year. In South America, coffee producers in general are:

• Bolivia;
• Brazil;
• Venezuela;
• Colombia;
• Paraguay;
• Peru;
• Ecuador.

In total, they provide the market with almost half of the total volume of goods, but the difference in the collection is quite large - for example, in Ecuador it has a little more than 20 thousand bags per year, and in Colombia - around 12 million. Most South American states produce only Arabica; the exceptions are Brazil and Ecuador, where Robusta is also grown.

In Central America, coffee is grown:

• Haiti;
• Guatemala;
• Honduras;
• Dominican Republic;
• Costa Rica;
• Cuba;
• Mexico;
• Nicaragua;
• Panama;
• Salvador;
• Jamaica.

Central American countries supply Arabica to the market; Robusta is found only in Guatemala. Honduras produces the most coffee here - the harvest is about 5 million bags per year; in Mexico, the figure is close to 4. In the list of the top ten "coffee" exporters, Honduras ranks seventh, and Mexico ninth. For comparison, in Panama and Jamaica, the annual grain harvest does not reach hundreds of thousands of bags.

Coffee is also cultivated in Asia and Oceania, where climatic conditions ideally suit the needs of trees - in particular in the following countries:

• East Timor;
• Vietnam;
• India;
• Indonesia;
• Yemen;
• Cambodia;
• Laos;
• Malaysia;
• New Caledonia;
• Papua New Guinea;
• Polynesia;
• Thailand;
• Philippines;
• Sri Lanka.

The largest producer in this region is Vietnam, which for the past few years has been in second place in the list of coffee exporting countries, second only to Brazil. Indonesia is ranked fourth; here they grow the world's most expensive sort of invigorating drink - Kopi Luwak. From Asia, both Arabica and Robusta enter the market, one of the best suppliers of which is New Caledonia - the island climate is well suited for this variety.

And, of course, coffee grows on the mainland, which is native to it - in Africa. There are plantations in the following countries:

• Angola;
• Benin
• Burundi;
• Gabon;
• Ghana;
• Guinea;
• Zambia;
• Zimbabwe;
• Cameroon;
• Kenya;
• Comoros;
• Congo;
• Ivory Coast;
• Liberia;
• Madagascar;
• Malawi;
• Mozambique;
• Nigeria;
• Rwanda;
• Sao Tome and Principe;
• Sierra Leone;
• Tanzania;
• Togo;
• Uganda;
• Central African Republic;
• Equatorial Guinea;
• Ethiopia.

Most of the coffee belt countries are located on the continent, but their share in the world market is not large. However, coffee exports in many of them exceed 30% and even 50% of the total external sales, and in Uganda this figure is over 90%. Mostly Arabica is grown here, but in Angola, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar, Sierra Leone and Togo, Robusta has the advantage.

The largest exporter of coffee in Africa is its geographical homeland - Ethiopia. ranked fifth in the world rankings. The annual harvest here is about 7 million bags of grains. The second largest production of this product on the mainland is Côte d'Ivoire, where they collect almost three times less. Liberia has Liberica coffee, the third most popular after Arabica and Robusta.

As you can see, Russia is not included in the coffee belt of the Earth - our conditions are not suitable for growing this plant, and you can meet it only in botanical gardens. Interestingly, at the end of the twentieth century, an experimental station was created near Sochi - the northernmost plantation, where they tried to grow coffee.

Unfortunately, low winter temperatures destroyed the seedlings - they die if the thermometer falls below plus twelve degrees. However, fans of the drink can try to grow a coffee tree at home and get a small harvest - about five hundred grams - even when they are several tens of thousands of kilometers from the nearest plantation.

Video: how coffee grows

Nothing invigorates in the morning like a cup of fresh, aromatic and moderately hot coffee. It is thanks to the excellent tonic properties that this drink has become for many an integral part of the morning ritual and the key to a successful day. But even the most avid coffee drinkers are often at a dead end when faced with the question of where the coffee they love so much grows. To understand this, we suggest going on a short journey in the wake of coffee beans.

Is coffee growing in Russia?

To begin with, let's decide what the cult drink is made of. The definition of “coffee in beans” familiar to everyone, strictly speaking, is not entirely true. The fact is that it is more correct to call the fruits of the coffee tree not grains, but beans. Yes, and the coffee trees themselves are more likely not trees, but giant shrubs. For their full growth, development and fruiting, several conditions must be met: moderate (+18 ... + 22 degrees) temperature without sudden jumps, high humidity and relatively little sunlight. Yes, yes, coffee is one of those rare plants, an excess of sunlight for which is detrimental. In nature, similar conditions are found in the tropics and subtropics. That is why coffee grows eagerly on the sea coasts of the tropical countries of Central and South America, Asia and Africa. Based on this, the answer to the question “Is coffee growing in Russia?” obvious. No, it does not grow, because in the Russian expanses there was no corner with suitable conditions for this tropical sissy: in summer it is too hot for it, and in spring and autumn (not to mention winter) it is too cold. Therefore, coffee in Russia can only be found in greenhouses or on the windowsills of extreme flower growers.

Countries where coffee grows

What countries are engaged in the industrial cultivation of coffee beans (grains)? As mentioned above, these are almost all countries with a tropical and subtropical climate. So, in Central America, coffee is grown in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, Costa Rica and Honduras. In South America, similar production is common in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela. Asian coffee producers include Malaysia, India and Indonesia. In Africa, coffee grows in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gabon, Angola, Kenya, Yemen.

Where does the best coffee grow?

The question of where the best coffee comes from often arises. But how competent is he? In total, there are about 50 types of coffee trees in the world, differing from each other in the shape and size of the plant itself, as well as the ripening time and taste of its fruits. Only three have gained the greatest popularity: Arabica, Liberica and Robusta. The most delicious and expensive of them is Arabica. But since this species is the most whimsical, it is rarely grown in its pure form, choosing for this high-mountainous regions with the purest air and soil.

During the day it has become a necessity for many. About 3.5 billion cups of this flavored drink are consumed worldwide every year. Based on this, it is safe to say that the popularity of coffee has made it a global commodity. Although many of its leading manufacturers are well-known, some facts about the production may come as a surprise to the reader.

The coffee evergreen shrub grows in the tropics, in the Earth's Coffee Belt. If you look at the world map, it is very simple to understand where the fruits of this magical drink are grown: these are all countries located along the equator - one tropic above and below it. There are over 75 countries where coffee grows, with the vast majority of supplies coming from the developing countries of Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia and Ethiopia. Climatic conditions must meet the requirements for growing the most popular coffee varieties.

Where does coffee come from?

Throughout the world, coffee trees or shrubs grow in tropical areas. And this is Latin America, Africa, Asia and Hawaii. Coffee of the best quality, grown in small quantities. It grows at high altitudes, typically 1,000 to 2,000 meters (3,300 to 6,600 ft), on bushes that are never watered. Cultivation takes approximately three years from the time the tree is planted until it begins to bear fruit.

The best quality coffee beans are hand-picked so that each berry is picked at the height of its ripeness. This painstaking work of harvesting and processing quality coffee means it is only produced in very small quantities. In regions where coffee is grown, such as Bolivia, many people make tea from the pulp of the fruit after the grains are removed and the beans are sold for a living.

Brazil

For many decades, from the 19th century to the present, Brazil has been and remains the country where the best coffee in the world grows. It is its largest producer, and its production plays a key role in the development of Brazil and continues to be the main component of the country's economy. About 80% of the beans produced here are Arabica and the rest are Robusta and are cultivated using wet, dry and semi-washed processing methods. Although Brazilian coffee is produced in many different regions of the country, almost all varieties are quite mild, with a sweet taste.

In 2014, Brazil produced a dizzying 2.7 million metric tons of coffee, representing more than 30% of the world's production. About 300,000 plantations are spread across over 10,000 square miles of the Brazilian landscape.

Vietnam

Vietnam has quickly become one of the largest producers of coffee growing countries, second only to Brazil. In the 1980s, the Communist Party bet on its production, and every year since the 1990s, fees have increased by 20-30%, boosting the country's economy. Large-scale production in Vietnam began in 1995 when trade relations with the United States normalized. Vietnam has found a niche in the international market by focusing primarily on the less costly cultivation of the Robusta variety. Robusta beans contain twice as much caffeine as Arabica beans, which gives the coffee a bitter taste. In 2014, Vietnam produced 1.65 million tons of coffee, and almost all of it is Robusta.

Colombia

A popular ad campaign by the National Federation of Coffee Growers in Colombia featuring a fictional coffee farmer named Juan Valdez helped the country become one of the most famous coffee producers. Colombia maintains very high standards for bean production. Coffee is grown on many small farms throughout the country. The taste of the Colombian drink, as a rule, is mild, with a delicate and aroma. In 2014, the country produced 696,000 tons of selected grains.

Some believe that climate fluctuations have negatively impacted Colombian coffee production as average temperatures and rainfall increased from 1980 to 2010. Nevertheless, Colombia is still considered the country with the highest production of Arabica beans, and millions of people around the world prefer its mild, well-balanced taste.

Indonesia

While not as well known as other coffee producing countries, Indonesia's ideal location and climate have helped it become the second largest exporter of Robusta beans in the world. Production reached 411,000 metric tons in 2014. The Indonesian coffee industry consists of 1.5 million independent small farms.

The most famous of the coffee islands of the Indonesian archipelago is Java. Coffee is so skillfully produced here that the name of the island is given to the drink. Coffee drinks from Java have an overall sweet taste and a slightly grassy aftertaste.

Indonesia produces several types of highly professional coffee varieties, the most interesting of which is Kopi Luwak. Because of its technology, it is the most expensive. The whole process of obtaining is associated with the processing of ripe fruits in the stomach of the luwak (Asian palm civet), its fermentation. The animals live on plantations where coffee grows, and choose their delicacy among the best and ripe coffee fruits. The animal's gastric juice contains civet, a substance that gives the coffee drink flavors of honey, nougat and butter. And the grains are collected from the feces of animals, carefully processed and fried.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia, a country where Arabica coffee grows, became famous thanks to this drink in the 6th century. It is reasonable to assume that the people who have grown it the longest may make it one of the best. Mecca was the center of the coffee trade at that time. The whole world drank only Arabica until the beginning of the 20th century, only then did other varieties appear.

Ethiopia is the largest producer of coffee beans in Africa, production plays an important role in the development of the country's economy. In 2014, 390,000 metric tons of coffee were produced. It is produced by 1.2 million small farmers, and approximately 15 million Ethiopians depend on the coffee industry for their livelihood. Despite the origin and cultivation of coffee in Ethiopia, this country produced only a small part of the product for export until the 20th century, and most of it came from the vicinity of Harar in the northeast, where coffee beans are grown.

most expensive coffee

Food prices vary widely around the world for complex reasons, and a cup of coffee drink is no exception. While the average price of a cup may seem high at around $3.75 in New York, it's pennies compared to the average $10 for the same cup in Moscow. The winner in this category, however, is a cup of coffee from Indonesia (the one from the beans in the feces). As mentioned above, a kilogram of coffee beans is about $600. Many claim that the drink brewed from these grains has a unique taste without bitterness. A cup of it will cost $50 for a gourmet.

The cheapest coffee

The lower end of the spectrum for a cup of coffee is roughly 50 cents. This is the price of a drink in Vietnam, and for just over $2 a cup of this drink will be offered in Argentina. For example, McDonald's priced its cup of coffee for just $1, while the same cup at Starbucks is $2 to $4. It all depends on where you buy your coffee.

Some will argue that the more you pay for a cup of this aromatic drink, the better it is. On the contrary, others are content to pay a small fraction of pocket money for their coffee. No matter what you prefer, there are many alternatives around the world.