Let's take a quick tour.
The African country of Ethiopia is where coffee cultivation first originated. Today it is difficult to imagine that the main coffee plantations in the country still consist mainly of forests of wild coffee trees, just as it was when it was first discovered centuries ago.
From these humble beginnings, the production and consumption of coffee beans have spread like wildfire around the world. In the 21st century, coffee has grown to become the world's second largest international market, second only to oil in dollar value terms.
Coffee is grown in more than 70 countries around the world that are specifically located in tropical and subtropical agricultural regions. The climate dictates where it can be grown for the simple reason that the plants need a lot of sun and rain. From a narrow band centered on the equator from about 23 degrees north to 25 degrees south comes all of the world's production of beans that produce the drink that a Turkish proverb describes as "black as hell, strong as death, sweet as love".
Brazil is by far the largest producer of coffee beans in the world, with an average production of 28% of the total annual international yield. The second largest producer is the world-renowned Columbia which produces 16%. Other large producers are Indonesia with 7% and Mexico with 4%.
Throughout their history of cultivation, coffee trees have been grown at high altitudes because they produce the best quality beans. However, the plant has also adapted well to a wide variety of areas, including Brazil, where plantations cover large areas of agricultural land and employ hundreds of workers. In Colombia, coffee trees are grown on very rugged terrain in the high mountains where it is done with pack mules.
In Hawaii, coffee is primarily planted on the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano, which is about 20 degrees north of the equator. As you might imagine, black volcanic ash is extremely fertile and perfect for growing the famous Kona coffee plants. The strong afternoon sun is softened by tropical clouds and frequent showers of rain.
Since Dutch settlers introduced coffee to Indonesia in the 17th century, this collection of islands has slowly increased its production and exports to become the third largest producer in the world. A multitude of small one to two-acre farms make up the bulk of the growers that thrive in the warm tropical microclimates that are ideal for growing quality coffee.
Mexico also produces and exports a significant amount of coffee beans that are grown by a multitude of small farmers. Most of the plantations are located in the south of the country in Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Chiapas.
In the mid-19th century, French missionaries established small plantations of robusta coffee plants in Vietnam. From these small beginnings, the industry has grown to massive proportions where today the size of the country's coffee production now rivals that of Indonesia.
This is just a brief overview of the main producers of coffee varieties around the world, with many other countries now venturing into this profitable export.
Enjoy!
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