Coffee production in Ecuador

Coffee production in Ecuador is one of only 15 countries in the world that grows and exports both

Robusta coffee, the two main species of coffee produced and consumed in the world. Different ecosystems in Ecuador permit different coffee cultures to occur all over the country, including in the Galápagos Islands

.

History

First years

Historically, the Jipijapa Zone in the province of Manabí has been one of the most prominent places in which coffee has been cultivated in Ecuador. In 1860, coffee grains were introduced there. When Ecuador opened up to foreign trade and commerce, significant changes occurred throughout the country with new small plantations reaching a certain degree of development, allowing coffee export for the economic growth of the nation. This phenomenon occurred almost on par with cocoa production.

Growth

In 1903, the cultivation of coffee fell, but two years later, it began to grow again, with Ecuador commencing export to several European countries from the port of

Arabica and the balance is made up by Robusta

.

Provinces of cultivation

The main provinces for coffee cultivation are as follows:

Variety of coffee	Provinces
Arábigo lavado	Zamora Chinchipe
Arábigo natural	Loja, Manabí, El Oro, Los Ríos and Guayas
Robusta	Sucumbíos, Guayas, Los Ríos and Napo

Exports

The

industrialization, and export of the coffee is one of the most important sectors of the economy of Ecuador

, which is why it is necessary for private and the public sectors to work in conjunction with each other, in order to promote development and to achieve an improvement in the socio-economic conditions in the trade. CORPEI, COFENAC, and ANCAFE (Asociación Nacional de Exportadores de Café) are some institutions helping promote ecuadorian coffee around the world. Agriculturists dedicated to this activity, as well as the extension of exports, make important contributions to the Ecuadorian economy. As of June 2012, Ecuadorian coffee is exported to 29 countries worldwide, with Russia, Poland, Germany, Colombia, Italy, and the Netherlands accounting for over 80 percent of the total export volume.

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