| What variety is it and where do all these | | | | including Brazil where the plantations cover |
| exotic tasting beans grow? | | | | huge areas of agricultural land and employ |
| | | | hundreds of workers. In Colombia the coffee |
| Let's take a quick tour. | | | | trees are grown in very rugged terrain in the |
| | | | high mountains where it is carried out by |
| The African country of Ethiopia is where | | | | pack mules. |
| Coffee growing first originated. Today it is | | | | |
| hard to imagine that the country's main | | | | In Hawaii coffee is mostly planted on the |
| coffee plantations still consist of mainly | | | | slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano which is |
| wild coffee tree forests just like it was | | | | situated about 20 degrees north of the |
| when it was first discovered centuries ago. | | | | equator. As you would imagine the black |
| | | | volcanic ash is extremely fertile and perfect |
| From these humble beginnings coffee bean | | | | for growing the famed Kona coffee plants. |
| production and consumption has spread like | | | | The strong afternoon sun is softened by |
| wild fire throughout the world. In the | | | | tropical clouds and frequent showers of rain. |
| twenty-first century coffee has grown to | | | | |
| become the second largest international | | | | Since the Dutch colonists introduced coffee |
| market globally, second only to oil in dollar | | | | to Indonesia in the 17th century, this |
| value terms. | | | | collection of islands has slowly increased |
| | | | it's production and exports to become the |
| Coffee is grown in over 70 countries around | | | | third largest producer in the world. A |
| the world which are specifically located in | | | | multitude of small one to two acre farms make |
| tropical and sub-tropical agricultural | | | | up the bulk of producers thriving on the |
| regions. Climate dictates where it can be | | | | warm, tropical micro-climates, which is ideal |
| grown for the simply reason the plants need | | | | for growing quality coffee. |
| plenty of sunshine and rain. From a narrow | | | | |
| band centred on the equator of around 23 | | | | Mexico also produces and exports a |
| degrees north to 25 degrees south comes all | | | | significant amount of coffee beans that are |
| of the world's production of beans that | | | | grown by a multitude of small farmers. Most |
| produce the beverage of which a Turkish | | | | plantations are located to the south of the |
| proverb describes as 'black as hell, strong | | | | country in Veracruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas. |
| as death, sweet as love'. | | | | |
| | | | In the mid-19th century the French |
| Brazil is by far the largest producer of | | | | missionaries established small plantations of |
| coffee beans in the world with an average | | | | the robusta coffee plants in Vietnam. From |
| output of 28% of the total annual | | | | these small beginnings the industry has grown |
| international yield. The second largest | | | | to massive proportions where today the size |
| producer is the world renowned Columbia which | | | | of the country's coffee production now rivals |
| produces 16%. Other major producers are | | | | Indonesia. |
| Indonesia producing 7% and Mexico with 4%. | | | | |
| | | | This is only a brief overview of the major |
| Throughout the history of its cultivation, | | | | producers for coffee varieties around the |
| coffee trees have been grown at high | | | | world with many other countries now venturing |
| altitudes because they produce the best | | | | into this profitable export commodity. |
| quality beans. However the plant has also | | | | |
| adapted well to a wide variety of areas | | | | Enjoy! |