Peru coffee
The Peruvian coffee (also, Peruvian coffee) is the main agricultural export product along with asparagus and represents about half of agricultural exports and around 5% of total Peruvian exports. This product is also one of those with the greatest socioeconomic influence.
This coffee is produced mainly in the inter-Andean valleys and the eastern Andes mountain range, where it meets the Peruvian jungle, and is cultivated in 388 districts of Peru by 150,000 producers who occupy some 330,000 hectares. (1)
History
Coffee arrived in the Americas with European immigrants in the 18th century and they introduced its cultivation to Central and South America. By the middle of the 18th century, coffee was already produced in Chanchamayo, Moyobamba, San Ignacio, Jaén, Huánuco and Cusco, for local consumption and for export to Germany, Chile and Great Britain. The first café in Lima was opened in 1771 on Calle Santo Domingo by Francisco Serio.
Since 1850, European immigrants introduced coffee to the Chanchamayo valley, along with coca, tobacco, cocoa and sugar cane. In 1930, English capitals consolidated the Chanchamayo valley as a coffee zone. Since the end of the 20th century, Peruvian coffee production has improved not only in quantity, but also in quality. Organic coffee from Peru has a good international reputation.
Peru today occupies the eighth position worldwide in coffee bean production, rising seven positions since 1990 and two positions since 2006. According to the FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN- Peru produced 677,000 tons of coffee in 2008. While the International Coffee Organization mentions that Peru has produced 4.25 million bags of coffee in the same year. The first world producer is Brazil, with 36 million bags annually.
Peruvian varieties include Good Hard Bean (central jungle), Hard Bean (northeastern jungle) and Medium Hard Bean (southeastern). Of these, the first gets the best prices.
In the framework of the Twenty-second Fair of the American Specialty Coffee Association (SCAA), specialty coffee from Peru won the award as the "best specialty coffee in the world", beating important bean producers such as Colombia, Guatemala
Production areas
- North Zone: 43% of the production is in Piura, Cajamarca, Amazonas, San Martín.
- Central area: 34% of the production is in Junín, Pasco, Huánuco and Ucayali.
- South Zone: 23 % of the production is in Apurímac, Ayacucho, Cusco and Puno.
A total of 330,000 hectares of production. About 85% of this production belongs to producers who manage less than 5 hectares. 75% of the total export of Peruvian coffee is dominated by the 75 Peruvians.
Technical standards
Peruvian coffee has two Peruvian Technical Standards NTP 209.027-2001 and NTP 209.311-2003. It regulates its classification in degrees, humidity, granulometry, health status and taste tests.
Additionally, it defines high altitude coffee as coffee grown at more than 1200 m s. no. m. in the high jungle and coffee in the lower valleys grown below 1200 m s. no. m..
Based on the coffee classification standards, the National Coffee Board celebrates each year the National Quality Contest (currently in its ninth edition 2013) where the best coffees are chosen using the 100 quality. The international norm indicates that a special coffee is over 80 points, in the contest they are chosen over 84 points)
Winners of the Quality Coffee Contest
2013 Edition
Between August and September of this year, more than 500 coffee producers participated in the IX National Contest for Quality Coffees. Of this number, the best 92 have been selected, who have obtained a score greater than 84 points in cup and went on to the national stage of the contest. The semifinal was held between September 18 and 21, with the participation of 10 of the best national tasters led by the renowned Panamanian taster Francisco Serracín.
The final was held in the Parque de la Exposición on September 24 and 27.
Benjamín Peralta Surco - CECOVASA CAC San Ignacio - Puno - 89,750 points
Fragrance: Lemon verbena, jasmine, etc. Taste: Sweet, fruity, sweet quince, papaya passion fruit, raisins, molasses, caramel, chocolate, exotic, etc. Acidity: Fine to sweet lime and mandarin, etc. Body: Silky, complex, jasmine, etc.
Simón García García - CAPEMA - San Martín - 88,083 points
Fragrance: Vanilla, herbal, pink Poma, etc. Taste: Delicacy, chancaca, chocolate etc Acidity: Apple, tangerine, lime Body: Creamy, malt, cherry, dried fruit, peach, plum, juicy etc Intense and lasting, balanced aftertaste.
Mauro J. Benito - CAC Charuyo - CAC Charuyo - 87,750 points
Fragrance: Tea of roses, floral, almonds, etc. Taste: sweet cane, chocolate, peach, papaya, caramel, etc. Acidity: Smooth and delicate apple and orange etc. Body: creamy to butter, balanced etc.
Markets
The main destination markets are the countries of the European Union, the United States and Japan.
Internal consumption
Although Peru is one of the largest coffee producers in the world and more than 200,000 people depend on its production, coffee consumption in Peru is low. Current per capita consumption is estimated at only around 600-800g per year.
According to Kantar, the market for roasted and instant coffee is estimated at ~110 million dollars. It is estimated that in 2018 the volume of household consumption grew by 3.4% and during 2020 by 6%. This is a clear indication of the migration of quality coffee consumption through the new generation demographics. In 2018, ground coffee consumption grew 26% in value and purchase frequency grew 6% to 30 per year. Instant coffee remains the most important category with growth of 4.4% in value and 2.6% in volume.
Apart from the biggest brands such as Altomayo, 338, Juan Valdez de Colombia, Britt, Nescafé or Starbucks, which has more than 100 stores throughout the country, the opening of specialized coffee shops and "independent" roasters; is driving the consumption of single-origin coffee. Independent shops and specialty roasters include Origin Cafe Roasters, Coffee Road, D'Sala Caffe, PukuPuku and many more.