Introduction to Honduran Coffee Varieties: The New Generation Fruity Aromas of Honduran Coffee Beans

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Honduran Coffee

The cultivation of coffee in Honduras can be traced back to 1804 when it was introduced to the Olancho region from Costa Rica. Most of the plantations were owned by Spanish colonists at the time. After Honduras gained independence, successive leaders attempted to vigorously promote coffee cultivation, even issuing laws stipulating that farmers growing coffee could be exempt from any taxes for up to 10 years. However, influenced by large American fruit companies, similar to Guatemala's situation, there was a shift to vigorously promoting banana cultivation to supply demand in the United States. Nevertheless, coffee cultivation did not stagnate but grew slowly until the late 20th century when coffee caught up with bananas as one of the two major economic crops. In recent years, the international market's enthusiasm for coffee, especially high-quality specialty coffee, has finally enabled coffee to surpass bananas as Honduras' number one economic crop.

The vast majority of coffee varieties grown in Honduras are Arabica, with Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai, Typica and the Pacas derivative varieties being predominant.

Disease-resistant varieties include IHCAFE 90, Lempira and Parainema.

Lempira is a Catimor variety (Timor Hybrid 832/1 x Caturra) with higher yields, suitable for cultivation in low to medium altitude areas (600-1200 meters), with weaker resistance to pests. It has been promoted as the main leaf rust-resistant variety for the past 20 years, but unfortunately, cases of Lempira being infected with leaf rust were discovered in some regions during the 2016/17 production season.

Parainema is a Sarchimor variety (Timor Híbrido 832/2 x Villa Sarchi), also suitable for cultivation in low to medium altitudes (600-1200 meters). Compared to Lempira, it has larger beans, is resistant to leaf rust, and also resistant to some pests.

IHCAFE 90 is a Catimor variety (Timor Hybrid 832/1 x Caturra) with higher yields, suitable for cultivation in low altitudes (600-1000 meters), resistant to leaf rust but with weaker resistance to pests, and has shorter plants.

According to statistics from Honduras' Cup of Excellence competition from 2004 to 2016, the most frequently appearing varieties were Catuai, Pacas, Caturra and Bourbon, with the Catimor variety IHCAFE-90 following closely after Bourbon.

In recent years, benefiting from the general environment of growing domestic coffee consumption, we have seen more and more Honduran beans. From premium commercial beans that were mainly used in blends in earlier times to some specialty estate beans in the past one or two years, there are increasingly clean-tasting beans with abundant fruit characteristics appearing.

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