About the Coffee
PRODECOOP has served coffee growers in the regions of Esteli, Madriz and Nueva Segovia since 1993. The main reason for the creation of the organization was the price dip, caused in part by the unraveling of the International Coffee Agreement (ICA), made it difficult for farmers to sell their coffee at profitableprices. Today, PRODECOOP is able to market to specialty roasters around the world and garner better prices for their members. In addition to market representation, the cooperative also supports its members with various projects, including donating coffee plants, providing training and new technologies.
Harvest & post-harvest
The departments of Esteli, Madriz and Nueva Segoviaare are mountainous regions in Northern Nicaragua. The soil is sandy and high in nutrients. The climate is humid and tropical. This combination is perfect for high-quality coffee production. Farmers selectively handpick cherry on their farms in the highlands and deliver their harvests to nearby wet mills. At the mills, mill workers pulp and ferment cherry for 16 hours before washing it in clean water and laying parchment to dry in the sun in thin layers on the patios. Once dry, wet mills deliver the parchment to the PRODECOOP dry mill in Palacaguina.
Coffee in Nicaragua
Nicaragua may not be the most famous producer of Central American coffee, but it has great potential. The country is known as the land of ‘los lagos y losvolcanes’ (lakes and volcanos) and has many coffee growing ‘pockets’ that few have heard of or experienced. Many producers in the country are experimenting with new varieties and processing methods, making it a specialty origin to watch. Many coffee producers in Nicaragua today are buoyed by cooperatives that provide a wide array of services, supports and opportunity.
