Colombian Narino Flavor Characteristics Region Information_Colombian Coffee Bean Narino English Nariño

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Colombian Nariño: Geographical Location

Nariño, translated as "Narino" in the domestic coffee industry, truly possesses poetic beauty and aesthetic appeal, reminiscent of Xu Zhimo's "Florence."

A direct translation would be "Nariño."

It is a province in southwestern Colombia, 640 kilometers away from the capital Bogota. To the south, it borders Ecuador; to the north lies Cauca Province; to the northeast is Huila Province; to the southeast is Putumayo Province; and to the west, it borders the Pacific Ocean.

New green bean - Colombian Nariño Magdalena Estate

Colombian Nariño: First Denomination of Origin Certification

When discussing Colombian coffee, one must mention the FNC (Colombian Coffee Growers Federation). This organization has a long history, established in 1927, and is fully responsible for all coffee-related matters, including coffee cultivation technology research, marketing, quality standard development, and coffee farmer education and training. Its masterpiece includes the Juan Valdez marketing plan, which successfully helped Colombian coffee penetrate the American market and established Colombian coffee as synonymous with quality.

In 1996, the FNC began promoting the Colombian Specialty Coffee movement and established a classification system.

In 2011, Nariño Province became the first production area to receive Denomination of Origin certification and protection.

Denomination of Origin is commonly seen in the agricultural production sector, where crop quality is closely related to the growing environment. Certain regions have natural advantages in cultivating specific crops, with familiar examples including wine. However, this includes not only innate factors like microclimate but also comprehensive consideration of the historical and cultural background of the production area. Factors affecting quality include not only the cultivation process but also post-harvest processing, where the historical and cultural background becomes evident.

Colombian Nariño: Coffee Cultivation and Processing

Nariño possesses natural conditions for producing high-quality coffee: located near the equator at approximately 1° north latitude, with abundant sunshine throughout the year; most areas have elevations above 1600m, and snow-capped peaks are not uncommon within its territory. The steep mountains and long, steep slopes create temperature diversity. Warm, moist air currents rising from the valleys allow coffee grown at high altitudes to avoid the threat of frost, making coffee cultivation possible even at 2300m elevation. Volcanic soil provides rich nutrients for coffee growth.

Nariño's rainfall throughout the year shows a peak distribution, with one rainy season lasting from October of the current year to May of the following year. The dry season consists of June, July, and August. However, even during the dry months, coffee farmers need not worry excessively. Warm currents brought by trade winds from the southern continent meet the cool nights, producing water vapor that provides moisture to the coffee trees.

Typically, after continuous dry weather followed by rainfall, coffee trees enter their flowering season. In Nariño, the first rainfall in September triggers coffee flowering. Correspondingly, the harvest season begins in April of the following year and may continue until August in higher elevation areas.

The Nariño production area is predominantly composed of small-scale farmers. After coffee harvest, most farmers perform washed processing themselves. When done properly, this can still ensure the expected quality of the coffee. Typically, after coffee picking, it undergoes manual pulping and is then placed in containers for fermentation ranging from 12-18 hours, followed by washing and drying. The drying method involves sun-drying on curved raised beds.

Rainfall is common during the harvest season. Unlike other production areas, Nariño uses curved covers with openings at both ends at the bottom to ensure air circulation. When rain arrives, the curvature not only facilitates drainage but also prevents water droplets from condensing on the interior ceiling of the cover.

Colombian Nariño: Exceptional Quality Performance

In 2010, the Colombian Cup of Excellence competition was held in Nariño, where Nariño captured the top six positions, occupied 8 of the Top 10, and claimed 17 of the Top 21. This demonstrates the exceptional quality of their coffee. Colombian coffee has always been renowned for high-quality washed coffee, and Nariño has elevated this established quality to even greater heights.

Colombian Nariño: A Low Point for Coffee Certifications

Various certifications are popular in the specialty coffee sector, such as Fair Trade, but Nariño presents an exception.

The entire Nariño production area has approximately 30,000 coffee farming households. However, according to 2012 statistics from a Fair Trade promotion organization, the region had only one Fair Trade certification body with fewer than 300 members. As a result, Nariño was honored to be selected as a pilot for this organization's promotional efforts.

Certifications are pursued for higher prices, but Nariño coffee doesn't worry about prices.

First, the great FNC has a great commitment: to purchase all products from coffee farmers nationwide at reasonable prices not lower than market rates. Additionally, benefiting from high quality, Nariño coffee commands even higher prices. Furthermore, Nariño coffee's major customers include Starbucks and Nescafé's Nespresso, both of which have their own certification standards. Meeting these standards has elevated Nariño's coffee quality and prices even further. With such financial advantages, certifications naturally lack market appeal.

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