Great News for Coffee Lovers! China Establishes Diplomatic Relations with El Salvador! Let's Get to Know El Salvador Coffee

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According to Reuters on August 21st, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Salvadoran Foreign Minister Castaneda in Beijing on August 21st. After the talks, the two foreign ministers signed the "Joint Communiqué of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of El Salvador on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations." Salvadoran President Salvador Sánchez Cerén announced in a national televised address that his government had severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan and established diplomatic relations with China.

Main Contents of the Joint Communiqué

The People's Republic of China and the Republic of El Salvador, in accordance with the interests and wishes of the peoples of both countries, have decided to mutually recognize and establish ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations from the date of signing this communiqué.

The two governments agree to develop friendly relations between the two countries based on the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.

The Government of the Republic of El Salvador recognizes that there is only one China in the world, the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The Government of the Republic of El Salvador severs "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan as of this day and promises not to have any official relations or conduct any official dealings with Taiwan. The Government of the People's Republic of China expresses its appreciation for the above position of the Government of the Republic of El Salvador.

This big news is absolutely great news for coffee lovers!

El Salvador: The Smallest Country in Central America

El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America by area. The country's development is primarily agricultural, with a weak industrial base and slow economic growth in recent years. Foreign trade accounts for more than half of GDP. Main exports include coffee, cotton, sugar, shrimp, textiles, etc., with main export destinations being the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica. According to data from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, China-Salvador trade in 2017 amounted to $889 million, with Chinese exports accounting for $773 million and imports $116 million. China mainly exports textiles, footwear, vehicles, machinery and equipment, chemicals, etc., and imports electrical machinery, metal ore, etc.

El Salvador: Known as the "Land of Volcanoes"

El Salvador is located in northern Central America. It borders Honduras to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the south, Guatemala to the west and northwest, and the Pacific Gulf of Fonseca to the east. It is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. The terrain is mainly mountainous and plateau-like, with many volcanoes. The Santa Ana active volcano, at 2,385 meters above sea level, is the highest peak in the country; the northern part is the Lempa River valley; the southern part is a narrow coastal plain.

Salvadoran coffee refers to coffee produced in the small South American country of El Salvador. The local coffee is light-bodied, aromatic, pure, and slightly acidic, with the characteristic feature of excellent balance. It is a specialty of Central America. It has equal characteristics of acidity, bitterness, and sweetness, with the optimal roasting degree being medium to dark.

In the early 1990s, guerrilla warfare greatly damaged the country's national economy, causing coffee production to decline from 3.5 million bags in the early 1970s to 2.5 million bags in 1990-1991. The eastern part of the country was most affected by the guerrilla war, with many farmers and workers forced to leave their estates. Capital shortages caused coffee production to plummet, from the previous yield of 1,200 kg per hectare to less than 900 kg per hectare today.

In addition, in 1986, the government imposed an additional 15% tariff on coffee exports, meaning an additional 15% tax on top of the existing 30% tax. The taxes, combined with unfavorable exchange rates, caused coffee exports to decrease dramatically, and quality also declined.

The government finally recognized the significant role of coffee in the national economy, such as providing employment, earning foreign exchange, and developing agricultural production. Therefore, in 1990, it partially privatized the coffee export industry, hoping to increase the returns from coffee in the export market.

Today, this coffee accounts for 40% of the country's total exports. The highest quality coffee is exported from January to March, with 35% of strictly hard beans exported to Germany.

The country is divided into 14 provinces, of which 7 produce coffee.

The country has more than 20 volcanoes, earning it the nickname "Land of Volcanoes." The lowest elevation in the country is 0 meters, and the highest is the Santa Ana active volcano at 2,385 meters.

In 1524, it became a Spanish colony.

In 1821, it gained independence from Spanish rule.

In 1824, it joined the Central American Federation, including Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Mexico.

In 1841, it separated from the federation, becoming independent and establishing a republic.

Coffee Production History

In 1742, coffee was introduced to El Salvador from the Caribbean region.

In the mid-19th century, El Salvador's original export pillar, the indigo industry (a type of dye), gradually declined due to the development of artificial synthetic dyes in Europe. Under government leadership, coffee gradually became the main export product.

In 1856, the first 693 bags of coffee beans were shipped to Europe. Until World War II, Europe remained El Salvador's most important coffee customer. After World War II, this position was replaced by the United States.

In the 1970s, El Salvador produced a record 350,000 bags of coffee. As the civil war intensified, the coffee industry fell into turmoil.

Salvadoran coffee production was once affected by domestic political situations. In 1992, all parties signed a peace agreement, ending the civil war. The coffee industry began to recover.

Coffee Flavor Profile

Coffee flavor is related to the microclimate of the growing region. Generally, Salvadoran coffee inherits the mild quality of Central American coffee - overall smooth, slightly acidic, with pleasant sweetness, making it suitable for blending.

Premium Salvadoran coffee can also be impressive, including certain Pacamara varieties with lively acidity, layered and deep flavors, and a long aftertaste. Many coffee enthusiasts also like beans from the Salvadoran region, especially the Pacamara we're familiar with. The Pacamara variety is an excellent example of artificial breeding - it surpasses its predecessors, perfectly inheriting the advantages of its parent plants. It has both the excellent taste of Pacas and the large bean size of Maragogipe. Pacamara is considered the result of pursuing large-sized Arabica varieties.

Don't underestimate El Salvador's coffee production. At its peak, it was once the world's fourth-largest coffee-producing country, but decades of civil war nearly crippled the coffee industry. Fortunately, with the cessation of warfare in recent years, the coffee industry has regained vitality. The only benefit the civil war brought to El Salvador was that farmers left fields barren, failing to catch the popular Catimor sun-cultivation train of the past two decades, thus preserving ancient Bourbon and Typica varieties. This means El Salvador still uses the most traditional shade-grown cultivation methods, which has positive significance for coffee aroma development.

In 2005, the Salvadoran hybrid variety Pacamara made a splash at the Cup of Excellence (COE), confusing many international cuppers who didn't know how to score it. No one expected that this hybrid bean would not only break the existing boundaries of coffee richness and aroma but also increase the visibility of Salvadoran coffee.

Salvadoran specialty coffee is concentrated in the western Santa Ana and northwestern Chalatenango volcanic rock regions. In recent years, almost all top ten cupping competition winners have come from these two regions. The altitude is approximately 900-1,500 meters, with Bourbon being the main variety (accounting for 68%), followed by Pacas (29%), while hybrid Pacamara, Dorai, and Caturra account for only 3%.

The coffee harvest season lasts from November to March of the following year. All coffee cherries are harvested by hand-picking.

Generally speaking, Salvadoran coffee inherits the mild quality of Central American coffee - overall smooth, slightly acidic, with pleasant sweetness. At the same time, it has its own characteristics: aromatic flavor with a slight acidity that is very gentle; pure without any off-flavors, with excellent balance; an impressive smoothness like cream chocolate; and the dense mouthfeel gives the coffee deep flavors with a long aftertaste.

El Salvador's coffee grading standards are based on growing altitude, with the highest grade being SHG:

SHG: Strictly High Grown - above 1,200 meters;

HG: High Grown - above 900 meters;

CS: Central Standard - above 600 meters.

El Salvador and COE Competitions

El Salvador is a producer of high-quality commercial Arabica beans, known for its strict and effective quality control.

Since 2003, it has participated in COE competitions. With excellent heirloom coffee varieties, it has successfully entered the specialty coffee market.

Coffee Organizations

UCAFES: Organization of Coffee Productivity Cooperatives of El Salvador, accounting for 25% of total production;

UCRAPROBEX: Organization of Land Reform Coffee Producing & Processing Cooperatives, including small farmers who had no land before land reform, accounting for 10% of total production;

ABECAFE: Association of Millers and Coffee Exporters, including 99 processing plants and most exporters;

The Association of Coffee Producers of El Salvador, representing all coffee producers.

The above four coffee organizations, along with four national research institutes, form a coffee policy-making body - the Salvadoran Coffee Council (Consejo Salvadoreño del Café), which participates in coffee promotion, data collection, and international cooperation.

Simply put, this means more great beans to drink!

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