Nicaragua – Segovia

This lot is assembled from contributions by producers in Dipilto, Nicaragua. Five dedicated farmers have collaborated to create this particular lot.

The average farm size contributing to this lot is about 5.4 hectares. These farms, flourishing at an altitude range of 1400-1500 meters above sea level, yield an estimated average of 15 quintals of parchment coffee per hectare. The lot consists of two varieties of coffee crop, Caturra and Red Catuai, grown on sandy loam soil.

From November to March, the harvest season witnesses a whirl of activity. Most of the coffee plants are cultivated under shade, with synthetic fertilisers. Additionally, the farmers incorporate compost and coffee pulp into the soil. There’s a cover of shade trees, such as Ingas spp, indigenous forest species, banana plants, and fruit trees surrounding these coffee plants. Every coffee cherry is handpicked, ensuring only ripe ones are harvested. The farmers follow a strict plan which includes pruning, managing shade, soil and foliar fertilisation, and pest and disease control using low-impact, green-labelled products.

The harvested coffee cherries are hand sorted at each farm when they reach optimal maturity. They are floated, selected, and depulped without water. The coffee then undergoes a fermentation process in concrete piles for approximately 18 to 24 hours, followed by washing and quality-based classification of the parchment coffee. The wet parchment coffee is then transported to Cafetos de Segovia’s dry mill, where it is spread on mesh-covered patios and coffee husks for about a day. It is then moved to roofed patios with mesh floors and coffee husks, where it dries for approximately 8 to 10 days. The coffee’s moisture content is constantly monitored, and it is further dried in the sun until it reaches an optimal humidity level of 11.5 degrees.

Once dried, the coffee is weighed, cupped for quality, and stored in warehouses, sorted by quality. It then embarks on its journey to be exported from Cafetos de Segovia SA dry mill. The coffee, with a humidity of 11 to 11.5%, is lifted from the patios, stored and stacked in warehouses under necessary conditions for a resting period of about a month. After this, it is threshed, sorted according to the client’s requirements, and packed in sacks and bags with the corresponding ICO.

The coffee cultivation process is associated with social and environmental projects. The farmers are paid based on the quality of their coffee beans. This unique system allows farmers to receive a better price for the parchment coffee when they choose to sell it immediately, or to deposit it and wait for us to cup and offer it at a potentially better price.

However, the path to producing quality coffee is not without challenges. Changes in climate, high production costs, and a lack of financing for small producers pose significant hurdles. Despite these challenges, the producers and the cooperative have a future development plan that includes continuous improvement of the farms to increase production under eco-friendly standards.

In addition to coffee, the farmers, cooperative, association, or group are also involved in the production of other crops, making them an integral part of the local agricultural community.