Landlocked Bolivia

Through to the 21st Century, when in the elections held in December of 2005, Evo Morales and the socialist MAS party obtained a victory with 54% of the vote, becoming the first Native Bolivian president in history. In February 2009 a new constitution was enacted by Evo Morales. This gave Bolivians of indigenous descent more economic and political rights.

As one would expect, all this turmoil affected coffee production. In Bolivia 95% of coffee production is in the rural areas of the Yungas, but other growing regions are Santa Cruz, Beni, Cochabamba, Tarija, and Pando.

While there are large commercial farms, land reforms have expropriated most of the large landholdings and redistributed them back to rural farming families. These small plots range from 1-8 hectares and produce between 85-95% of Bolivia’s coffee, most of which is the Arabica variety and grown organically at an altitude of 600-2,200 ft. above sea level.

“Death Road” – dangerous transportation

Bolivia has altitude, fertile soil, and a consistent rainy season, but problems of rugged terrain and a lack of communication and technology make coffee quality control almost impossible. The green coffee beans had to be sent along “Death Road”, a dangerous mountain road, when they were prepared but not fully dry. This resulted in some strange flavours, but recently, funding from various outside agencies has helped to establish co-ops in rural areas, and since 2006 the road has been upgraded and modernized. Coffee farmers have the means to ensure quality, value, provide more community jobs, and be able to tap into the organic global market. Properly processed, the coffee has a full, fruity taste.

However, like its past, Bolivia’s future is still uncertain, but hopeful.

Pistol and Burnes likes to be part of the solution. Several of our fairly traded organic coffees from Bolivia are featured below. Please click on one of the images for more information or to order.

Also grown, but on the low lying areas, by large commercial plantations, is the robusta coffee. This coffee is used in low grade instant and cheap supermarket brands. Through the years, it has been partially responsible for the deforestation and devastation of the land along with foreign pulp and paper corporations.

During his research, CJ discovered that most of Sumatra used to be covered by a tropical rainforest, but a fast economic expansion, corruption and illegal logging has become a threat. In 2008, areas were put aside for conservation and protection by the ruling government but it has not been a deterrent from wholesale destruction.

According to the statistics published by CNN, the island has lost 85% of its rainforest since 1985, and many of the remaining natural, native species are endangered. A new initiative,  is supposed to address the problems and issues facing a disappearing Sumatra.

However, Coffee Joe says experts agree it may be too late.

Organic coffee – starting from the shade-grown forest protecting the early plants, to the warm sunshine promoting growth, to the high altitudes fostering slow maturity – is a product of ying and yang. Each condition helps the other. At the end of each relationship, you have an organic product worthy of both your wallet and your conscience. Now, because balance has been maintained, the organic cycle can begin all over again.

CJ discovered that the earth on an organic coffee farm is made up of decomposed, natural materials, which along with the rotation of other crops, composting, and the elimination of harmful chemicals results in a healthier soil. Ying and Yang. This in turn prevents water pollution, offers a secure home for migratory birds, and a beverage you can drink without dire consequences.

Balance is what it’s all about. Back to basics – if the coffee farmer looks after the soil, it will repay him indefinitely. If he doesn’t, it won’t repay him at all.

Coffee Joe says look at this organic coffee bean – at the split in the middle. Ying and Yang. Balance.

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Coffee Joe Says:  With enough coffee, anything is possible.

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Five good qualities he does want:

1)      equal size

2)      comparable shapes

3)      almost identical color

4)      coffee bean lots separated by geographic area

5)      washed Arabica beans look uniform and bright.

Five qualities he doesn’t want:

1)      coffee beans that are mottled

2)      coffee pulp present in the tanks during processing

3)      brownish tinges on the green coffee beans

4)      coffee beans that are whitish or faded around the edges

5)      odour of fermentation or smoke damage

Your local roaster takes pride and care in choosing the very best green coffee beans. His view of the coffee world is to continue to keep it sustainable by knowing his product, visiting the coffee farmers, making sure they are getting a decent price, and always having the you, the end consumer, as his top priority.