The History of Coffee in Brazil, Colombia, and Costa Rica in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Century - Essay Example

Compare and Contrast the History of Coffee in Brazil, Colombia, and Costa Rica in the Nineteenth and Twentieth century Coffee is one of the major products in this world and the people, most probably the adults really love coffee. Coffee is one of the trading products in the world. It provides a help for the people in the coffee industry and supports their livings. Ever since the Cold War has ended, and the globalization had opened the ways and made the transportations and communications much easier, people acknowledge this as their chances to present to different countries their goods. And so they found that they can use coffee to be the trademark of their society in terms of exporting and importing. They had come to be the producers of many products to different countries. And in this trade, the economy and industrialization had developed. It has been proven that during monopoly, Coffee is one of the most favored, finest, and the richest product of the people until now. The reason why they always wanted this overwhelming product that made coffee to be the world's largest in trading. The major coffee importing countries are United States, Germany, Japan, Italy, and other European countries. These include the South and Latin America, as the major importing countries; such as Brazil, Colombia, and Costa Rica. Let us tackle the history of the three countries: the Brazil, Colombia, and Costa Rica, and on how their coffee products came to be different in the 19th century and 20th century Brazil It's Francisco de Mello Palheta who introduced coffee in Brazil. He got some coffee beans in France to be planted in 1727. Paran, Espirito Santos, So Paulo, Minas Geraes, and Bahi are the states in Brazil where coffee cultivars were grown. In the past, Brazilian coffee refers only to a low quality mixer. It is the time when the Organizations and Institution of the coffee industry such as International Coffee Organization (ICO) and the Brazilian Institute de Caf (IBC) set quotas for importing and exporting coffee products. They just only consider the price, quantity and the volume of the product because of the quota system. Brazilian coffee plays only as a mixer in the higher quality coffee to reach the demands of quota considering its quantity and not its quality. Because of these, other coffee sectors deteriorate while other rises. But , the new government in Brazil have observed the problem of these quota system, so they decided to broke this system to a new right to have a reformation on how coffee was processed and most importantly, to develop its economy and industry through a coffee product trade. The San Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Geraes, and Espiritu Santo are some of the districts in Brazil who are the coffee growers. Of these four states, San Paulo produces the largest quantity and certainly the finest quality. But according to the Diagnostico da Cafeicultura em Minas Gerais, the vast majority of farms in Brazil are less than ten hectares in size and only 4% of farms were larger than 50 hectares. It means even though Brazil has a small portion of farm to harvest coffee beans, still, Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer and that produces a large supply of coffee in the world. And they say that eighty percent of this is Arabica. Their coffee undergoes to the following processes: Wet processing (washed) Dry processing (natural) Semi-washed process (pulped natural) Of the three processes mentioned above, the vast majority still processed the dry method because we all know that Brazil is one of the countries in the world that has the appropriate weather to do this process. Many people observe that Brazil is one of the most advanced and well-cared-for processing systems in industry. They carefully pick and nurture even an individual bean, that a single bean can create a larger number of coffee beans. Government was interested in this coffee trade because the financial stability of the country depends also upon the coffee industry. This coffee trade in Brazil plays an important role in upbringing their economy and industry. They helped each other, because not just the farmers, but also the natives of the land and even the government are taking care of the coffee trees. According to them cultivating coffee are their life and treasure of their society. That's why the government of Brazil controls the coffee trade industry and provides all demands of it. Colombia Jesuits are responsible for bringing coffee beans in Columbia on the 16th century. The volcanic soil of the Andes Mountains, its mild temperatures and abundant rainfall gives ideal growing conditions that makes a good harvesting, turning the plants to flourish and to grow lavishly and healthy. All coffee exported from Colombia is cleansed and washed, to give a good and rich taste for the coffee drinks. They begin on planting thousand seeds. When the plants grow, the best and the healthiest plants are selected and will transfer in the nursery and will be taking care for almost half a year. A full-grown coffee tree may produce 445 grams of coffee annually according to the researches. It is a very good result for a long time waiting of growing coffee trees. The process of planting and growing coffee beans: Fertilizing Transplanting Harvesting Picking Pulping Washing Drying Soaking and Discarding Inspecting Screening Colombian coffee processing is almost the same as of that in Brazil. When the coffee beans are fully grown which are rich and are red in color, the farmers will now go for to be transported by donkeys. Through the use of de-pulping machine they will remove the red covering of the coffee easily. Like we know, Brazilian method such as wet-process and dry-process, it is also used in coffee processing in Colombia. After wet-process, it must be dried or go in the process of Dry or natural process. And after this drying process, they will soak it in cold mountain water for 1 day in order to see the coffees which are in poor quality. Poor quality coffees will be known if the coffee beans will float. All of it will be discarded or thrown away. And the remaining coffee means that it was a high quality coffee. Colombian Coffee is a unique one, because of its high quality control standards. The National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia will send an official to check the farm for sanitary condition or cleanliness, healthy trees, and the quality of each harvested coffee beans. After checking, all poor quality coffee beans are thrown again and all high quality coffee beans are sends to the market. Then after making such inspection, another strict inspection will do. The beans will put into the tiny machine and removes the beans parchment. After a while, the owner will test the beans for its aroma, the color, right size, quality, moisture and texture. Then after this long process of a high standard checking, beans are brought to the mill and do a screening processed. These are the last careful inspection where poor quality beans again are discarded and olive-green beans only will be packed for exporting. To taste the coffee they will use the coffee roasted and grounded, and then tastes it in a cup of coffee. Export will be cancelled if the taste of coffee is not well. They have a very strict inspection of their product just to make sure that they maintain their high quality regarding coffee products. That is how Colombian Coffee is processed. Today Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, and Maragogype cultivars are cultivated in some parts of Colombian region. These trees are cared of the farmers. People around the world are saying that Colombian Coffee is a very delicious coffee. The Colombian Coffee Federation have the job in the specialties of their coffees in Colombia, and according to the researches, Colombia produces only 12% of coffee in the world, secondly to Brazil. Colombian Coffee Federation is not headed by the government, but is the farmers who control this federation. The National Federation of Coffee Growers is founded in 1927, it was built, for aiming improvements of the Columbian farmers and they are the one who controls the Coffee federation since they are in great number. As we have discussed earlier, farmers made and led this type of federation, and not imposed by the government or any organizations. They say it is a non-political Federation. It is their reason why this economic trade attains great stability, and in fact, is continually improving. It has a fair giving profit for the farmers unlike on the other organization. There are Expensive Beans cited below that these beans were the main exporting product of Colombia: The highest Quality and the most Expensive Beans: Colombian Milds - the most high quality coffee Other Milds - second to the Colombian mild. Brazil - third to the other milds. Robustas - the fourth to the highest quality of coffee bean that is commonly seen in Asian countries. Coffee Trees in Colombia: Coffea Arabica - includes Typica, Comun, Bourbon, Caturra, Colombia, and Maragogipe. Coffea Canephora - includes Kouillou and Robusta Coffea Liberica - inclues Worensis and Grandifolia Different coffee trees are grown in Colombia. All these trees are said to be a worth living for the farmers. They are proud to have such coffee trees that give a more meaningful life for them. Costa Rica In the eighteenth century, coffee appears in the history of Costa Rica. Coffee in this country often grows over the high lands of the Central Valley. Costa Rica has a good fertile soil that is very appropriate for coffee harvesting. The workers are industrious and patient and have the perseverance to grow coffee. The workers are solely determined to have a great and large coffee exports in the world. They are trying hard until they have decided that even a brotherhood of coffee farmers even small or large, can possibly form to establish coffee as an industry. Because of this coffee industry establishment, Costa Rica became the first country that established a coffee industry in Central America. This is the first try in the society of Central America in its native land to have an organization. Meaning even a small coffee farmers group will possibly become a great coffee exporter in the world. They worked hard to attain their goals of reaching the level of being the greatest distributor and producer of coffee, as they are only new with their built industry. According to the interview of one of the farmers, they first have exported a one sack of coffee to Colombia. Only a few sack of coffee are being exported, but they didn't lose their hope. Then after that, they have exported a quality coffee to Chile, and then to England! As the research says that in 1854, a group of local exporters help them to export coffee directly to London. They were helped by a captain of English ship "Monarch", named William Le Lacheur Lyon, to transport one hundred coffee beans into the gold coffee. These farmers are really happy for that! These first coffee farmers of Costa Rica plays an important role in establishing a coffee industry, so farmers are still memorable because of giving a good name to their own country. Here are the Different Kinds of Costa Rican Coffee: Caf La Carpintera - grows frequently in the highlands with a good soil and extremely fertile, and has a good temperature for the coffee planting. The type of bean it produced is a Strictly Hard Bean. Caf Atarazu - Grows in a volcanic mountains and fertile valleys. The type of bean it produced is a Strictly Hard Bean. Caf El Gran Vito - grows in the mountains and forests. The type of bean it produced is a medium Hard Bean. Caf Zurqui - Grows on the slopes of the Zurqui Hilla, has a beautiful, and fertile soil. Unique coffee is produced that is said that many people are likely to drink Caf Ujarraci - Grows frequently in a fertile valley and produces an exquisite coffee drink. The type of coffee it produced is High grown Atlantic. Caf Buena Vista - Grows in San Isidro, the main city of the valley. It produces a Medium hard bean. It means Costa Rican Coffee growth depends upon the fertility of the soil, the type of temperature, and the type of location it was placed. Costa Rican soil are fertile that is an important factor for growing and harvesting coffee beans. These Costa Rican Coffees are a big help to the farmers and most especially in the Costa Rican industry. Analysis The three countries we discussed are related to each other. Like what we know, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Colombia are the World's Largest Exporting Countries in the World. They are exporting coffee products to help develop their economy and industry. Brazil used the same method and process just like Colombia. They do the process of dry-process, wet-process, and pulping method. But, the only difference is that Colombia has a high quality standard in inspecting the coffee beans and to discard all the poor quality coffee to get the best crops! Costa Rican also did the same method and usually used the dry-process in the methods of coffee processing. Brazil has only a small portion of farm but is said to be the world's Largest Producer of Coffee products! As we said a while ago, the vast majority of farms in Brazil are less than ten hectares in size and only 4% of farms were larger than 50 hectares. But still, Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer and produces a large supply of coffee in the world. Costa Rica has a good and fertile soil to plant more coffee beans! Costa Rica produces rich and high quality coffees in the world! Likewise, Colombia has also a good soil and a big land owned and led by the farmers. Colombian Coffee Federation is a non-political federation or not imposed by the government. It is all created and led by the farmers. That's why financial and economy remains stable, not like in Brazil, it is imposed and led by the government. Costa Rican established coffee industry is also not led by the government. It was just establish by a small group of brotherhood coffee farmers. Coffee Trade in such countries makes the economy and industry to rise! It only means that many people are coffee drinkers and they want many more coffees! That's why these countries have large exporting coffee products in different parts of the world! As we observe, there are people who help such countries to rise. They made an important role in doing that help. For example, Francisco de Mello Palheta gave coffee bean to Brazil to plant it and to have a great coffee crop! Also in Colombia, the Jesuits brought them a coffee bean for them to harvest. Not only this Jesuits, but also the farmers work hard to attain a successful coffee trade. And also in Costa Rica where the industrious coffee workers establish their group in industry and William Lyon help them in transporting coffees to gold coffees. In the past, slaves are the workers. But, the cancellation of slavery system was decreed, when a law declared that no children born of slaves. The northern states decreed the final abolition in 1885, also the southern states followed in 1887, and the complete abolition was being declared from January 1, 1888. (www.oldandsold.com). It's nice to see that people are free working together, no domination and no slavery. But, these countries are fearing for the disappearance of the coffee trees. They say it is their life. Meanwhile, according to Awake 1978, Brazil's Conselho Monetrio Nacional approved a plan to have a coffee plantation by adding 150 million trees during 1977/78, bringing the total to 3,000,000,000 trees. So there is no fear of coffee going off the scene. Also, to the other countries, they are also planning a good way to stay many coffee trees. Many schools, roads, establishments, health centers and hospitals were built because of the help of the Coffee Federations, that they give their profits into the community to help more and save the lives of the million. It is a big help to them and to their industrialization. We can say that as the coffee of these three competitors enters the modern age of the twentieth century, there are the differences regarding their strategies on how to maintain the satisfactions of the customer or the people who will take a bit of taste of their coffee. Now some of them are using the modern machines and some are still doing the past's rut in of making this coffees. We have analyzed their differences. But let us admit it that though these three are different and somewhat the same in some ways; we can still say that they do have a very good quality of taste of coffee on its different and own ways. They differ upon the percentage rate of productions but still great producers of coffee. Here we know that Costa Rica have just started in 18th century while Brazil was from the 15th. There are gaps between them but the taste still different but the same quality depending on the person's taste. Coffee is coffee. Coffee helped us satisfied and also gives people a living. Work Cited Brazilian Coffee History, May 2, 2006 access in Colombian Coffee, May 2, 2006, access in < http://www.coffeesearch.org./coffee/colombia,htm> Different Kinds of Costa Rican Countries, May 2, 2006, access in History of Costa Rican Coffee, May 2, 2006 access in Principal Coffee Producing Countries, May 2, 2006, access in Time for a Colombian Coffee Break, May 2, 2006, access in Watchtower and Bible Tract Society, Coffee - Yesterday and Today, Awake 1978. Watchtower and Bible Tract Society, Coffee - Beverage of Millions, Awake 1970. Watchtower and Bible Tract Society, Quality Coffee - From the Tree to Your Cup, Awake 1999. Watchtower and Bible Tract Society, Is Coffee raising your Cholesterol Level, Awake 2000. Watchtower and Bible Tract Society, Colombia, Awake 1990. Watchtower and Bible Tract Society, Coffee Capers, Awake 1986. Read More