Higher Ground Roasters - Bolivian Caranavi

Origin: Bolivia
Farm: De Montaña Coop, Caranavi, in the Yungas region. Grown by the CENAPROC cooperative of farmers.
Altitude: 500-1600 meters
Processing Method: Hand-Picked, washed, sun-dried
Organic: Yes
Fair Trade: Yes
Shade Grown: Yes

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Bolivian Coffee:
As the "Rooftop of the World," Bolivia has an excellent geography for growing coffee - high altitudes and tropical forests, but the story of Bolivian coffee cannot be told without mentioning coca leaves and the "Death Road."

Historically, the coca leaves have been the traditional money crop in Bolivia, with coffee being grown as an afterthought. Only recently has coffee begun to give it competition.

Any coffee grown in Bolivia has had to make its way across "Death Road" - the road that leads over 12,000 feet passes into the commercial center of La Paz, where it was processed. The farmers would depulp and wash the coffee at the farm before making the trip, leaving the beans slightly wet for the journey. As the coffee experienced the altitude changes of the trip, it was freeze and thaw, which led to continued fermentation and off-flavors. Regardless, it was bought and shipped out as Bolivian coffee.

With USAID funding - for the purpose of combating the drug industry, processing centers have been built much closer to the farms, meaning that the coffee is fully processed before making its way across the Death road.

More recently, with the continued monetary input of US anti-drug money, the Bolivian Specialty Coffee Association has been formed to promote better growing and processing practices, and, in 2004, the first Cup of Excellence competition for Bolivian coffees was held. Thirteen Bolivian coffees earned the Cup of Excellence designation, with first prize going to CENAPROC, the same co-op that produced this coffee.

Bolivia currently ranks 38th in the world in coffee production - small, but growing, and coca leaves still bring in more money than most coffees, but the coffees are becoming more competitive.

Unfortunately, after the political situation in Bolivia changed in 2006 - not to the US's liking, USAID withdrew funding from the Cup of Excellence, bringing about some uncertainty about the future of the Bolivian coffee industry. Hopefully, the recent inroads in quality and sustainability there with provide the roots for a good future.

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Region and Farms:
This coffee is from the CENAPROC co-op in the Yungas region - a tropical region in La Paz where about 80% of the Bolivian crop is grown. Altitudes there are between 500 and 1,600 meters.

Wealthy landowners historically owned the coffee farms there in Bolivia. In 1991, government land reform returned many of the farms back to the families of the original owners. Most farms are small - 3-20 acres, and approximately 23,000 coffee farmers are responsible for the vast majority of coffee produced in Bolivia. Coffee is grown using organic method, without the use of fertilizer, then handpicked, washed, and sun or machine-dried.

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