This month we will finalise the shipping of the first of two containers of coffee we bought in December in Huila, Colombia. We have been buying coffee directly in this region since 2012 when we started our ‘Lo Mejor de Huila’ (the best of Huila) competitions, and similarly in Nariño since 2013. We have needed to adapt our system over the years and are now currently settled into a satisfying routine where we are able to continue to support farmers we have known for decades and find new farms from which to buy.
Colombia is one of very few countries that has two harvests a year which mature at different times of the year depending on the terrain. The second harvest (known as the mitaca crop) happens around six months after the main in each area. In Huila the main crop is harvested from November to January, and in Nariño it happens across July and August. Numerous crop seasons are a particular feature of Colombia due to its unique geography. The mountain ranges, which run like a spine through the country from the North to the South forming the Colombian section of the Andes, have a dominant effect on the seasonality and weather of each area.
Planning for this latest harvest started (for us) in September when we contacted all the farmers whom we usually buy from to see how their crop was coming along. This conversation is vital as we get an idea about the likely volume a farmer is forecasting, and they have our best estimates for the quantity of coffee we are looking to buy. From these conversations we agree the numbers of cargas (125kg of parchment-covered coffee) a farmer will deliver to our in-country logistics partner Almacafé (almacafe.com.co) and a pricing structure. We couldn’t buy coffee in Colombia in the way that we do without a local logistics partner – they provide the warehouse and coffee laboratory facilities for us to receive the coffee, analyse it, taste it, and approve it. We also meet with Almacafé in Bogota in September to agree timings, support, and warehouse allocation for our buying trip in December.
In October and November, we spent most of our time on data collection and helping the farmers complete the required paperwork. This includes tax registrations and account verifications which must be repeated every harvest. Without the completed paperwork, the farmer will not be able to deliver coffee to us. It is an exceptionally busy time for the farmers; the harvest is in full swing and there is a lot for them to do, and we’re pleased to be able to help with some administrative support.
All the preliminary work is finished by the time our team arrive at the Almacafé buying point in Huila to taste every lot of coffee the farmers deliver. The coffees arrive as they are ready, and we usually taste around sixty coffees from around twenty-five farmers. From here we make our selection and finalise the pricing plan. Colombia has a very specific set of requirements of how coffee is bought; payment must be made promptly to the farmers and reflect the local market conditions at the time of purchase. After the coffee is bought, Almacafé get to work on milling, grading and transporting. Once the final weights of coffee for each lot are known, the final payment can be made to the farmer. This last payment is the difference between the local market conditions at the time of purchase and the price agreed ahead of the harvest, sometimes known as the sobreprecio (the surcharge).
Next month we will finalise the container from Huila, and preparations will begin for the upcoming Nariño harvest.
Monmouth x