Costa Rica APROCETU
The Farm
APROCETU was born from the hand of 17 producers and today it is a cooperative made up of 36 coffee growers from 4 nearby towns: San Rafael, Pital, Caite and Potenciana. It all started because, in this community, its inhabitants were leaving the countryside and, as a consequence, the cultivation of coffee. That is why Arnoldo Guerrero founded the cooperative in 2002 with 17 producers with the idea that a processing plant would contribute to generating employment in the area.
He was not wrong, because in 2009 they managed as a community to benefit a harvest and since then they have not stopped growing. Projects like Arnoldo’s allow small coffee growers to process their seeds and give them the opportunity to sell their coffee at a fair price. With the help of others, APROCETU has been able to purchase necessary infrastructure such as: a wet mill, mechanical dryers (guardiolas) and a truck to transport the coffee. The Ministry of Agriculture has supported them by carrying out soil analysis, which has helped them use fertilizers in accordance with the needs of their soils, which helps them improve quality and reduce costs.
Producers receive training in good agricultural practice. APROCETU assists them in choosing the correct fertilizers and is working to measure and reduce the carbon footprint.
Process Method
The cherries are harvested at their optimal point of ripeness. Next, they are taken to the cooperative for the washing process where they are pulped and spread in drying patios for 7 to 8 days.
After these days, the grain is passed through water channels again and left to dry in the sun on elevated stretchers until the grain reaches 10% humidity. Then it goes to the cellars with the parchment attached to the grain for two months.
Origin
The coffee plantations of the Western Valley probably produce the finest coffees of the country, they are in a range of altitude between 1.200 and 1.700 masl and is one of the newest producing zones of Costa Rica. This region is responsible for an extremely high percentage of Cup of Excellence winners due to the excellent work of several micro benefits. It produces almost 25% of the country’s total coffee production where the Villalobos and Villa Sarchí varieties are the most common.
Volcán Poás produces a very fine coffee with a little more fruit than its southern neighbour region Tarrazú.
13 € – 52 €
Envío gratuito a partir de 40€ de compra. (Península y Baleares)