El Salvador

El Salvador is the smallest, yet most densely populated country in Central America. The country has a special climate with high temperatures during the day and cold nights. In the higher regions, the temperature difference between day and night is rather pronounced, whereas it gets particularly hot on the coastlines.

The first records on coffee production in El Salvador range back to the 1850s. Since then, coffee production has significantly contributed to the country's economy. Thirty years later, in 1880, El Salvador was the fourth largest coffee producer in the world. At that time, about twice as much coffee was grown as today. In the 20th century, El Salvador was one of the most developed countries in Central America, and huge investments were made in infrastructure: roads, ports, and railroads were built. Many of these investments were financed by coffee exports. El Salvador had a reputation for high-quality coffees up until the 1980s when the civil war began. Since then, coffee production numbers have declined significantly.

Today, El Salvador grows only Arabica, especially Bourbon and the Pacas and Pacamara varieties. There are still some large estates in El Salvador today. However, the majority of the coffee is produced by smallholder farmers. In total, coffee from El Salvador makes up about 2% of global exports. Most of this coffee being of very good quality. El Salvador is an origin with a long and rich history that has plenty to offer to coffee lovers worldwide.