Chiapas

As in most of Central America, coffee was first planted in Mexico during the early days of colonisation, probably in the late 18th century. At the time, however, attention was focused on the region’s rich mineral deposits and mining opportunities, and coffee did not develop as an industry until the late 19th and early 20th centuries, coinciding with the redistribution of farms and the consequent emergence and independence of small farmers, particularly those of indigenous origin. At the end of the 20th century, the Mexican government established a national coffee institution called INMECAFE, which, like the FNC in Colombia and ICAFE in Costa Rica, was created to provide technical assistance, information, and botanical material to producers, as well as support in the form of financial credit.

Unfortunately, INMECAFE was a short-lived experiment and dissolved in 1989, leaving producers without access to support and resources, especially those in remote rural areas. Infrastructure disruption and the coffee crisis that followed the collapse of the International Coffee Agreement plunged Mexican coffee farmers into desperate financial times, which in turn dramatically affected quality. Fortunately, during the 1990s and particularly since the beginning of the 21st century, Mexico has benefited from a greater presence, influence and focus of Fair Trade and Fair Trade certifications, and an emphasis on the democratically managed cooperative organisation of small producers. The image of Mexican coffee has been transformed and is now synonymous with relatively simple sustainability, affordability, and excellent logistics, given its proximity to the United States.

In recent years, Mexico has fought intensely against coffee rust and other pathogens that threaten both quality and cup yield. This, combined with the enormous turnover in land ownership and the loss of labour to emigration and relocation, has created a tentative future for the producing country, despite seeing excellent standards and great promise from producers and quality associations.

In recent years, Mexico has fought intensely against coffee rust and other pathogens that threaten both quality and cup yield. This, combined with the enormous turnover in land ownership and the loss of labour to emigration and relocation, has created a tentative future for the producing country, despite seeing excellent standards and great promise from producers and quality associations.

The best lots are fantastic, and worth the long-term work and investment to try to overcome the hurdles faced by the average farmer, who owns between 1 and 5 hectares (with some of the medium-sized farms approaching 25 hectares). The especially dense shade in the area protects the coffee trees from the occasional frost in the region, and also helps to compensate for the lack of rainfall in the area.