Traditionally, coffee in Bolivia has been grown in regions like Los Yungas and the Caranavi province. But with roasters getting more interested in traceability and the specialty coffee market rising, new regions like Samaipata in the Florida province are stepping into the spotlight. The harvest runs from June to November on farms sitting at 1,200 to 2,100 meters above sea level. The main varieties grown by 17,500 farmers are Typica and Caturra, followed by Catuaí and Bourbon, and they’re mainly wet-processed.
Isolated coffee colonies
In the Bolivian altiplanos, you'll find hundreds of small coffee-producing communities. These aren't your typical towns or villages; they're called colonies and can have as few as 30 families each. Unlike in neighbouring Brazil and Peru, farmers here are pretty isolated. The roads, which are in rough condition and maintained by locals without government help, make travelling quite the adventure.
Blended in with the mountains
Isolation and limited access to cities are some of the reasons why Bolivia’s coffee production remains small. Though the country had a boom in commercial production in the 1950s, a leaf rust crisis in 2012 caused a dramatic drop in volumes. In 2020, Bolivia produced only 75,000 bags, while Brazil’s production exceeded 60 million bags.
Competing with Coca
Leaf rust isn’t the only challenge. Coffee also competes with coca leaf production, which has four harvests per year, a year-round market, stable prices, and high profits. This combination has led many producers to switch crops or abandon their farms in search of work in cities or mines.
Through twisting roads and blockades
Exporting coffee from Bolivia is another tough nut to crack, adding to the costs. Being the only landlocked coffee-producing country in South America, Bolivians have to wait a long time for containers, fill them up, and then transport them to Chile through twisting mountain roads. There can be delays at the border and roadblocks led by protesting cocaleros. This is why exporters in Bolivia always have many backup plans.
A diverse landscape reflected in the cup
Carefully processed, Bolivian coffee is clean and balanced like few others. This origin has another strength: its diversity. The many mountains of Caranavi showcase different cup profiles due to variations in temperature and sun exposure. Some farmers deliver cherries to mills, while others bring parchment. Some blend varieties, while others keep them separate. All this impacts the flavour, giving you anything from citrus notes of orange and mandarin to the sweetness of dried fruits and plum.
