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Guatemala

Identity record

Country map with highlighted region
  • Capital city

    Guatemala City
  • Coffee area

    305,000ha
  • Average farm area

    2.45ha
  • Geography

    Mountainous, volcanic and tropical
  • Harvest period

    November - March
  • Number of coffee growers

    125000
  • Number of people living from the coffee industry

    500000
  • Number of harvests per year

    1
  • Bag production per year

    3320000
  • Main varieties

    Red bourbon, Catimor, Catuai, Caturra rouge, Pacamara, Pache

Coffee production areas

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Harvest periods

Harvest period

Secondary harvest

RegionJanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Antigua
Atitlan
Coban
Huehuetenango

The coffee sector from the country

The sectorGeographyMain actorsExport Ports

The sector

Guatemala has grown coffee since the mid-17th century. There are currently more than 305,000 hectares of coffee, representing 2.8% of national soil and spreading across the country’s 22 departments. 98% of producers grow coffee on a small scale, and less than 1% are large-scale farmers. Over 80% of the coffee exported is of a high quality, what we call a “SHB” (strictly hard bean) grade. Coffee is the second most important agricultural export after sugar. There are 8 coffee-growing regions. The highest production volume was recorded between, with 5 million bags of coffee, before the 2011 crisis hit.

Geography

Guatemala has numerous microclimates, explained by altitudes ranging from 0 to 4,211 metres. There are 37 volcanoes, which produce a soil ideal for coffee growth, as well as numerous mountains and rivers. It is also bordered by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.  

Main actors

Anacafe (Asociacion Nacional del Cafe) is a private institution that oversees and supports all coffee production and export in Guatemala. It was created in 1960 as a result of a national law. It represents Guatemala’s coffee industry abroad, expedites export permits and promotes the country’s coffees.          

Anacafe also provides technical support for producers and various services for the coffee community.  

Export Ports

Santo Tomas de Castilla (Atlantic Ocean) 

Puerto Barrios (Atlantic Ocean) 

Puerto Quetzal (Pacific Ocean)  

The producers

Coffees product in Guatemala

Our other coffee origins