What is the treatment of Bolivian grape sour coffee beans? is there a big difference in coffee bean taste?

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Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in Latin America, a landlocked country bordering Brazil and Colombia. The origin of coffee in Bolivia can be traced back to 1880, when all production was basically related to the owners of some large farms north of La Paz. In 1991, the government promoted a program for aborigines to grow coffee, but paid little attention to quality.

The ideal planting conditions, coupled with the launch of the excellent Cup, mean that Bolivian coffee exports have reached an all-time high.

The history of Bolivian coffee is very interesting, although it is a country with great potential for coffee exports, its production has been quite scarce and the conditions for growing coffee are excellent, but the challenges are also extremely difficult. the result is an extraordinarily rich agricultural history built on a very difficult land.

The main problem for coffee farmers has always been that it is difficult for them to earn enough money to support the long-term cultivation of coffee. In order to subsidize the shortage of coffee, they have to grow other crops, mainly coca, which can be used to make cocaine, and it is legal to grow coca in Bolivia. Encouraged by the government, coca leaves are four times as profitable as coffee and much easier than growing coffee, causing many farmers to abandon coffee or even give up farms altogether.

The cultivation of coca requires the use of a large number of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, which do great damage to the soil. In other words, after several years of planting coca, the soil becomes barren and can no longer grow any crops. In early 2000, the United States strongly supported Bolivian agriculture, but coffee farmers suffered the most because the Bolivian government later supported coca cultivation and relations with the United States deteriorated. Then, with the resumption of a limited anti-drug war in Bolivia, a number of programs were restarted to assist coffee farmers, such as the COE (Excellence Cup), which was held with the support of USAID.

As if these blows were not enough, when leaf rust hit in 2013 (a mold that attacks coffee leaves, making it impossible for coffee trees to photosynthesize), Bolivia lost 50% of its coffee production in that year alone. Combined with the government's coca leaf policy and leaf rust, Bolivia's coffee production has fallen by 70% over the past decade, making it a small coffee-producing country.

| Coffee cultivation

Bolivia's coffee production is dominated by a smallholder production system, with 23000 small farms ranging in size from 2 to 9 hectares. In particular, about 40% of Bolivia's coffee culture is mainly sold domestically. And almost all plantations in Bolivia are grown organically.

| | planting variety |

The main varieties are Arabica, such as Iron pickup, Kaddura, Kaduai and Katim. The production season is from July to November.

Katim Catimor

This is a hybrid of Timor and Caturra. Was found in Portugal in 1959. The palate is obvious and easy to distinguish, bitter acid with a bit of astringency, and the finish is often salty. Because of its high planting density and strong resistance to leaf rust, it has become a high-yield variety. In the past, Katim species were planted in large quantities in Latin America on the advice of agricultural experts.

| | processing method |

Farmers in Bolivia mainly use water washing to treat raw beans, and some occasionally use sun or honey treatment. It is worth mentioning that because Bolivia has a colder climate than other coffee-producing countries, many farmers use machines to dry rather than sun-dry.

| Coffee producing area

The most famous producing area in Bolivia is La Paz, including Caravani, Yungas, Inquisivi and so on.

Yungas

It is located in the northeast of Caranavi province, La Paz. 95% of Bolivia's coffee is produced here, and the vast forest stretching along the eastern slopes of the Andes is a fertile land whose rainy, humid and warm climate makes it a favorable area for coffee production and cultivation. At an altitude of 800-1800 meters, the area is best known as one of the most dangerous roads in the world, nicknamed Yongas Road of the Road of death, also known as "the most dangerous road in the world".

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