Chiapas coffee beans

The Americas are the largest coffee-producing region in the world today, and more than half of the coffee we drink comes from this part of the globe. You may have heard of Brazilian coffee, Colombian coffee, and so on — but have you heard of Mexican coffee? Besides tropical fruits and avocados beloved by fitness enthusiasts, Mexico also produces coffee.

Mexico is one of the largest producers of organic-certified coffee, and due to geographical factors, most of it is exported to the United States. The country’s coffee industry began in the 19th century, introduced via Jamaica, and primarily cultivates the Arabica variety. The main producing area is Soconusco, near the Pacific coast and bordering Guatemala. In the early 1990s, the southern state of Chiapas became Mexico’s most important coffee-growing region, yielding about 275,000 tons of coffee annually, accounting for 45% of the country’s total production. Over two million Mexicans rely on coffee for their livelihoods. Seventy-five percent of Mexican coffee farmers work on plots smaller than two hectares, and these smallholders produce roughly 30% of the country’s coffee each year, with the remainder coming from larger or higher-yield farms. Starting in 1988, especially in Chiapas, the government encouraged impoverished coffee farmers to increase yields and expand planting areas to boost income by offering easy-access loans and promoting afforestation.

Chiapas is a highland region in southern Mexico bordering Guatemala. In 1991, Mexico’s National Institute conducted research on systems for protecting the rights of indigenous peoples and improved safeguards for native populations through regulations on product trade. Under these principles and conditions, cooperative organizations sprang up across various districts. OPCAAC, which stands for Organización de Productores de Café de Ángel Albino Corzo, is an organic smallholder coffee producers' organization in Chiapas. Established in 1995, OPCAAC built a farm management system that emphasizes transparent and independent production and sales information for coffee farmers, and set standards to prevent overdevelopment of the land. The organization provides its members with microloans, technical training, social activities, and other forms of support, while continuously focusing on the development of organic agriculture and ecological conservation. Guided by the principle of sustainable management, OPCAAC creates value in the local coffee industry. By adopting fair trade practices and eco-friendly agricultural methods, it improves the quality of life for local farmers. OPCAAC members use environmentally friendly farming techniques to cultivate the land, and through the development of regional organizations, they establish sustainable economic and social models, enhancing product quality.

That’s an introduction to the Chiapas coffee-producing region in Mexico — if you haven’t tried it yet, give it a go.