...de la Republica Dominicana, 19. bis 30. Mai 2008

Internationale Jury
(siehe Bild von rechts nach links):

Julio Martinez Mitsubishi / Guatemala
Gloria Pedroza BRIC / Schweiz
Raul Vargas SKN Caribecafe / Kolumbien
Inácio Teixeira IAC / Deutschland

Mitglieder CODOCAFE / ADOCAFES: Fausto Burgos, Richard Peralta, Pedro Alcides Morel, José Manuel Candelario, Aldo Gorlani, Amadeo Escarraman, Céline Herrera

Der zweite Kaffeewettbewerb der dominikanischen Spezialitätenkaffees fand in Santo Domingo statt.
Wie bei der Veranstaltung "Cup Of Excellence" wurden verschiedene Kaffees von einzelnen Kaffeeananbauer und Kooperativen eingereicht, insgesamt 101 Kaffeemuster, die zunächst nach den SCAA Bedingungen von einer nationalen Jury verkostet und bewertet wurden. Aus dieser Verkostung sind 40 Kaffees für gut befunden und im zweiten Lauf von der obigen internationalen Jury verkostet und bewertet worden.

Die eingereichten Kaffees kamen aus den Regionen „Cordillera Central" und „Cibao Altura".  Die südlichen Regionen konnten aufgrund der schlechten Qualitäten leider nicht eingereicht werden. Schuld waren hauptsächlich die vergangenen schlechten Wetterbedingungen.

Auszeichnungen gab es in den folgenden drei Kategorien:

• 1. Bester Kaffee aus einer Kooperative
• 2. Bester Single Farm Kaffee und
• 3. Bester Single Farm Kaffee, Mitglied in einer Kooperative.

Die Veranstaltung fand im Rahmen des Projektes „PROCA2" statt. Ziel ist es zum einen, die Kaffeeanbauer langfristig zu motivieren, bessere Qualität zu schaffen. Zum anderen sollen diese für ihre erbrachten Bemühungen honoriert werden. Langfristig soll die Qualität der dominikanischen Kaffees gefördert und dessen Positionierung im internationalen Kaffeemarkt gefestigt werden. Das Projekt wird unterstützt von der französischen Entwicklungshilfe.

Tassenprofil: die verkosteten Kaffees hatten eine leicht feine Säure und eine Vielfalt an fruchtigen und schokoladigen Noten. Die Kaffees werden sich sicherlich sortenrein einsetzen lassen.

Die Kaffeeanbaugebiete

InterAmericanCoffee hat diese Gelegenheit genutzt und vor Ort auch gleich ein Container Bio Kaffee gekauft für Hamburg, den wir hiermit vorstellen:

Dominican Republic Arabica washed Coffee Jarabacoa Organic from the Ramirez Estate Coffee

Verarbeitungsmethode:
gewaschener Arabica Kaffee
Region:
Jarabacoa, Dominikanische Republik
Anbauhöhe:
800 - 1500 m
Niederschlag:
2,200 mm / Jahr
Temperatur:
18° C / Jahr
Anbaufläche:
350 Hektar
Ecological Reserve:
350 Hektar
Ernte:
November - Juni
Kaffeevarietät:
Caturra
Schattenbaumbepflanzung:
teilweise
Trocknung:
unter der Sonne, oder maschinell

Die Familie Ramirez beschäftigt sich in der dritten Generation mit Rohkaffeeanbau (Foto oben: Julio und Eddy Ramirez, Vater und Sohn während des Besuches).
Der Grossvater, Belarminio Ramirez, gründete 1943 eine kleine Firma, die sich mit Kaffeeanabau und Verkauf beschäftigte. Der Anbau des Kaffees beschränkte sich auf 350 Hektar Fläche, doch schnell fing er auch an die Kaffees in der umliegenden Region bei sich zu verarbeiten und zu verkaufen.
Seit 2002 gibt es zwei Typen von Kaffee, der von der Familie Ramirez vermarktet wird: „Café Monte Alto Especial", ein konventioneller Kaffee und „Café Alto Monte Organico", ein Bio Kaffee.
Darüberhinaus unterstützt die Familie Ramirez diverse soziale Projekte in verschiedenen Bereichen zum Wohle der Region Jarabacoa, wie z.b.: eine Grundschule, ärtzliche Versorgung, lokale Infrastruktur, Wiederaufforstung und Schattenbaumbepflanzung für die Kaffeeplantagen.

Die Qualitätskontrolle

Vor der Ernte werden alle Plantagen auf die Reife der Kirschen überprüft. Wenn die Kirschen den richtigen Reifegrad erreicht haben, dann dürfen diese geerntet werde (siehe Foto: unsere Kollegin Gloria Pedroza beim Pflücken!).

Nach der Ernte werden folgende Kontrollen durchgeführt:

Ernte und Nasse Aufbereitung

1. Abwiegen der Kaffeekirschen
2. Aussortierung der Broca Bohnen
3. Aussortierung der Floaters

Trocknung

1. Feuchtigkeitsmessung (10-12%)
2. Physikalische Analyse (Gleichmässigkeit, Defekte, Grösse und Farbe)
3. Sensorische Analyse (Tasting)

Zertifizierungen

BCS ÖKO Guarantie Germany, Norm JAS (Japanese Agriculture System), EU und NOP (National Organic Product).

from October 04^th until 14^th 2008 by Marc Rode,  IAC Hamburg

My purpose of the travel to Bolivia was to participate as a juror in the international jury of the Cup of Excellence as well as to meet exporters and get an impression about coffee in Bolivia.

About 95% of the population is of indigenous descent, 60% of them speak Spanish. Presently the political situation is strained. While a few great land owners own plenty of fossil fuel deposits in the eastern parts, the main population in the western parts suffers from poverty. The president Evo Morales is trying to balance the countries problems with extreme reforms, which led to rebellion in the last years.

After landing in La Paz El Alto airport on an altitude of 4.000m and driving down to the hotel on an altitude of 3.000m without leaving the city of La Paz I started realizing the mountainous proportions of Bolivia. On the way down to the Yungas which is the sub-tropical part of the Andes where coffee is produced, we had to pass a summit on an altitude of 4.650m to drive down to an altitude of 1.200m again. This is the diversity of the country which causes very poor infrastructure conditions. The street down to the first parts of the Yungas is asphaltic since 2007 only. The remaining part of the street, for example to Caranavi, the capital of Bolivian coffee, too, is just an unpaved road, as broad as one vehicle and without barrier to 700m abyss. Everyday one vehicle falls down.

Bolivia is surrounded by Brazil and Peru in the north and Chile, Argentina and Paraguay in the south. About 30% of the country is in the Andes, where about 80% of the population lives. The remaining parts of Bolivia are tropical areas on sea level.

After the mornings final cupping we drove to Caranavi. This is a small village surrounded by many small coffee farms. The town was founded only 15 years ago. In Caranavi I stood from October 10th until 12th. On the 10th we had discussion rounds with all farmers who were able to place their lot under the best 60. Questions came up about the use of Bolivian coffee in the consuming market, our impressions of Bolivian coffee in comparison with neighbor countries like Colombia or Peru, interest in developing direct business and many other questions. A few people reputing their self as exporters contacted me after the discussions. Subsequently we visited a small fair at the local soccer field. The fair was presenting the regional products and culture. I was able to meet Nelson Olori Flores who is the owner of Nakhaki, one of the exporters we work with. He introduced his company to me. I learned that he has a plantation producing up to 850 bags organic coffee. Furthermore I visited the stand of the Federacion de Caficultores Exportadores de Bolivia (FECAFEB), but the stand had its concentration on promoting their own roasted coffee blend. In the end I got invited by Fernando Pinell from Agricabo to visit their mill the next morning. I invited a few of our clients to join me.

On the 11th in the morning we visited the mill Buena Vista. It is not very big, but it seemed very professional, modern and clean. They are perfectly equipped to process small to medium lots on a very high quality level. They have very nice cupping facilities as well. We learned Pedro Rodriguez the general manager of Agricabo to know and got invited to a breakfast at his mill after the visitation. Agricabo has well developed brands with nice logos. They are able to supply usual non-organic coffee, specialty micro lots and their own brands.

After the visit, we were invited to join the celebration of the 29 winning lots of the Cup of Excellence. The ceremony took place in the local school. It was a very nice and emotional event.

In the afternoon me and a small part of the jurors group visited the winning farm. It is a family owned small farm, producing around 120 bags. The farmer, Luis Huayhua, is president of the local cooperation CENAPROC. He seemed to be experienced in producing coffee. We agreed to stay in contact to possibly buy his next years crop. With exception of 10 bags, his this year's crop went for blending to the coop's mill. In the evening we were invited to a barbecue at the Buena Vista mill again.
On the 12th we departed to La Paz to fly out on the 13th.

From October 05th until 09th I stood in a hotel close to Coroico. Here I participated with several other jurors (some of them are clients of IAC worldwide) at the international cupping for the Cup of Excellence competition. Totaled 60 lots had to be evaluated. On the 06th we had a calibration day to get used to the cupping form and the procedure of cupping. On the 07th and 08th we were cupping 30 lots each. On the 09th we were cupping the best 40 lots out of the prior two cupping days. On the 10th we were cupping the best ten lots resulting from our prior cupping. During the week I met Maria Ascarrunz from Vicopex, one of the exporters we work with. She introduced her company to me and showed me photos of her mill and plantation (about 1200 bags). She is not only exporting coffee (organic and non-organic), but also running a roastery for the Bolivian consuming market.

As mentioned at the beginning the infrastructure is poor. Without a development of an asphaltic street from Coroico to Caranavi no improvement of the Bolivian coffee market can be expected. Already today the street is completely overburdened. On the way from Caranavi to Coroico I saw three serious truck crashes. I heard that the construction of an asphaltic street is not planned for the next 3 to 5 years.

For the future we will mainly trade usual organic coffees, which will probably remain quite uneven at least between different contracts. Furthermore we plan to buy some high quality coffee possibly two or three different lots totaling a full container load. If the availability of non-organic Extra Qualidad will improve I can imagine finding some interest at our clients.

The Cup of Excellence competition and the upcoming demand of certified coffees (Bolivian coffee is almost 100% organically grown and approximately 90% organic certified) distort the prices completely. The farmers are focused on producing micro-lots for the COE competition if the coffee failed they still want to place their lot into the specialty market and expect those prices. There is no understanding of the difficulty of specialty coffee. It needs a nice story, it must be of extraordinary quality and the shipment of micro lots is very difficult. Furthermore it is almost impossible to buy non-organic coffee at fair prices as almost every coffee has an organic certification.

After all, Bolivia is difficult to describe in just a few words. Due to the current commotions, the country is divided. I learned that especially in the rural regions the displeasure about the rich and mainly city-residents is huge. I felt a strong reserve from the people which might have cultural reasons as well. Due to the fact that the coffee development is restrained it is clear that coffee is not available in larger quantities, although the geologic realities would allow a much more intensive coffee cultivation. Another problem is the cultivation of Coca. Almost every farmer has his own production. Many people drink Coca as tea or chew it. The government under Evo Morales actually supports the cultivation.
Bolivia has no official grading system for coffee. An unofficial system is Primera (medium), Extra Qualidad (good) and Supremo (premium), but off course everybody has his own interpretation. Almost the whole coffee is high grown. I met a well trained farmer whose plantation (around 800 bags production) is situated at an altitude between 2.200m - 2.400m with no danger of frost.