ORIGINE : ASPROGUATE

RÉGION : San Martin Jilotepeque, Coban, Atitlan

FARM/PRODUCER: Smallholders

VARIÉTÉ : Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon

ALTITUDE: +1900 mètres

ASPROGUATE is an organization that represents more than 1,900 small producers in the regions of Acatenango, San Martin Jilotepeque, Coban and Atitlan. Its aim is to responsibly transfer profits to coffee producers in the sustainable value chain. Excerpt In this region of Guatemala, many husbands go to work in the United States and send money home to their families, so the farms represented are mostly owned by women.

We visited several of these farms. A typical example of a farmer represented is Ciriaca Julaj Esquit from Finca La Falda. She has worked in coffee for the past 20 years with just a small plot and a dairy cow, at an altitude of 1900+ MASL in the mountains of Aldea Patzaj, San Martin Jilotepeche. On her two small plots, she grows the Caturra, Catuaí and Bourbon varieties. Of his seven daughters and two sons, six of his children live and work in the United States. Doña Ciriaca is part of the El Rancho cooperative, with 35 members (25 women, 10 men). She has a great sense of humor – when we visited she said, “You are the first gringos to visit and your son is the first handsome gringo!”

Another great member is María Roberta Julaj, from the cooperative group La Providencia Aldea Patzaj San Martín Jilotepeque. As a single mother, Doña María has been working in the café for over 25 years. For the past 3 years she has worked with Asproguate and organic certification. At elevations between 1900 and 2050 MASL, it grows beautiful, healthy Bourbon trees. At elevations between 1900 and 2050 MASL, it grows beautiful, healthy Bourbon trees.