Coffee

Name	Coffee
Peak season	October-February
Uses	drink, organic fertilizer, ingredient
Vegetation	tree
Scientific Name	Coffea arabica
Spanish Name	Café

The tropical country of Nicaragua provides great sites for growing coffee. Coffee beans originate from the African-Arabian region, but high quality coffee has been harvested successfully in Nicaragua ever since its introduction in the nineteenth century. Nowadays, Nicaraguan coffee regularly wins international contests and is recognized around the world, especially in countries with coffee expertise.

The main type of coffee produced in Nicaragua is the Arabic type of coffee (coffea arabica). Different methods are used for cultivation to produce distinct tastes and qualities. Coffee trees reach a height of over 10 meters in the wild, but those used for bean production are cut, and between two and four meters high. The shrub has a straight and smooth trunk, and big, thin leaves. These leaves are perennial and have a bright green color, while the flowers are white and have a much shorter life (of about three days). The coffee bush usually starts giving coffee after three to five years; annually, production is just over two kilograms, which will be maintained for 30 to 50 years.

Coffee beans are small, round, and fall under the denomination of cherries in agricultural jargon, due to its similarity to this fruit. They grow from elongated racemes. In the initial phase, the bean has a green color, but it goes through shades of yellow and red during the next eight or eleven months of growth as well, depending on the conditions and type of coffee. The peel is smooth and relatively strong. There is yellow and sweet pulp on the inside, surrounding two seeds, which are separated by a groove. The beans are protected by a whitish layer and a thin yellow skin, known as endocarp. Coffee, as a drink, is the result of the application of different processes on the seeds. The peel, pulp and the rest are used as organic fertilizer or as food for livestock. The process of producing coffee can be executed throughout the year; however, the harvesting season lasts from October till February.

In Nicaragua, coffee is produced in mountainous regions, mainly in the central Pacific and the northern parts of the country. Large, medium-sized, and small plantations can be found. Most of the high-quality beans are exported (a small part under fair trade conditions), though it’s always possible to find good coffee on the national market as well. The low and medium quality beans are often used to produce instant coffee. In addition to the traditional ways of cultivation, organic coffee farming takes place in several regions as well. This product is of great importance to the national economy.