How to choose the right variety of coffee to grow? What factors should be considered in the selection of coffee varieties?

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To produce high quality coffee, one of the most important factors is to choose the right variety of coffee. Why do so many people invest in coffee breed breeding projects that require additional resources but are not necessarily reflected in the price in the end? Most importantly, how to determine the planting variety that suits you?

The selection of a coffee variety should be based on many factors, including genetics, environment, market access and budget. Let's take a look at these factors and other factors to consider when choosing a variety of coffees.

Genetic superiority

Different types of coffee have different characteristics, including flavor, insect resistance, yield and so on. But these genetic differences should only be a consideration in the selection of varieties. For example, Robusta is usually more insect-resistant and disease-resistant than Arabica, but Arabica has a better taste, so it has a greater demand market and higher prices, so most farmers choose to grow coffee beans in Arabica.

Jorge Raul Rivera is the director of Finca Santa Rosa in San Ignacio, El Salvador. He told me that farmers in El Salvador often choose to grow Pacamara, although its yield is relatively low and is vulnerable to coffee leaf rust. "We focus more on the quality of the variety than on the ease of cultivation," he said. "on farms with lower yields, the quality is always better."

The choice of varieties will affect the way farms are managed, who producers will sell their beans to, and which processing methods will be used. Carlos Pineda is the director of the InstitutoHondure ñ odelCaf é coffee tasting school. "Coffee varieties will affect the versatility that raw coffee processing plants will have," he said.

Climate and environment

The place where you grow coffee should be the main factor in determining which coffee variety to grow. A variety may have a high yield and demand, but can it thrive in your land and climate?

If you live in a warm and humid environment, there is no point in growing varieties that need a relatively cool and dry environment. It either cannot produce high-quality coffee beans, or it needs more input to produce it.

Diego Cobo is the manager of Elixir Cafe in Cauca, Colombia. "the quality variables we need to consider are genotypes, places of origin of seeds and regional flavor characteristics," he said. "

He told me that Castillo (Castillo) is a popular variety in his area because it is easy to maintain. He says the coffee bean variety has adapted to the local environment and is resistant to coffee leaf rust, a potentially devastating disease.

Be sure to make a detailed study of your local climate, including rainfall, humidity and temperature. You may also need to use field mapping techniques such as soil analysis to assess which varieties will thrive on your land and which fertilizers are beneficial. This analysis shows that it is best to plant two or more varieties in different areas of the farm, rather than the same variety on all land.

Resource & Budget

The variety you choose should also be based on your investment in resources and budget. Before choosing what to plant, figure out whether you have enough money to cover all the costs associated with a particular variety, and whether you have all the products available in your area.

Diego Cobo told me that some Colombian farmers chose to grow rose summer. He says this variety needs five or six fertilizers a year, while Castillo only needs three. He said that farmers who grow rose summer also need to have a better understanding of pests and the overall maintenance is more complex. Without a worker budget, pest control and fertilizers, it is likely that good production will not be achieved, which may mean a loss of investment.

Consider the market

When choosing a variety, it is very important to consider the needs of consumers and their own opportunities to enter the market. If you invest in boutique coffee, but there is no channel to sell it at the right price, you may feel overwhelmed. Similarly, if there is no demand for the variety you grow, or if it is in surplus, you may be forced to sell it at a lower price than the market.

"another factor to consider when choosing a coffee variety is the market, the performance of the cup test, and who will buy it," Carlos said.

Therefore, do some research on local sales channels and consider joining an association or cooperative that can help you build a new business relationship. As a unified producer group, you can have better access to resources, take advantage of better marketing and business opportunities, and learn from each other.

How to choose your specific variety

Many farmers buy seeds or plants from suppliers, but a small number of people use their own seeds. Jorge told me that it is common for farmers in El Salvador to use their own seeds because these varieties have adapted to the local environment, so they have a great advantage. He said that the use of self-cultivated seeds can ensure the purity and durability of the varieties, so that higher quality can be obtained in the final cup test.

He warned against using varieties cultivated elsewhere and said they needed to adapt to the new environment, which could affect quality.

If you decide to use your own seeds, choose healthy and dynamic mother plants with straight and thick trunks, main branches not too far from each other, vigorous growth and rich coffee cherry yields. The branches with the largest number of nodes have the highest productivity, so coffee cherries are extracted from these branches as seeds, and only healthy and fully ripe coffee cherries are selected.

Diego told me about a traditional method that many coffee farmers use: harvest 100 ripe, healthy cherries and soak them in water. If there are less than 8 cherries floating, it is a suitable candidate for the mother plant.

He explained that it is not recommended to use a large number of floating coffee cherry plants because they are low-density seeds, which means they may be underdeveloped and have a low chance of germination.

Choosing the right variety for your farm is a balance of many interrelated factors. Make sure you are honest in assessing your situation and do some research on different varieties and local resources. By carefully considering the genetic composition, environmental conditions and market, you can find the best variety of coffee for your farm.

Original author: Ana Villatoro.

Translated from: Perfect Daily Grind

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