The History of Coffee in Nariño

Jaime Ordóñez Ricaurte

The origin of coffee in the southern territories of the Republic of Colombia dates back to the
remote times, approximately the 18th century, when the clerics of the region
They brought coffee seeds from the North of the country, which they then planted in their convents and houses.
of rest, then spreading its cultivation by motivating the congregation to plant coffee
as penance and forgiveness of their sins. Since then, the coffee bushes have covered
gradually the hills, slopes, and inter-Andean valleys of Pasto, Sandona, Consaca,
Berruecos, the Rosario, the Union, Samaniego and other regions, collecting a significant
importance in the cultural, economic, and social behavior of its inhabitants that
they included the activities inherent to their cultivation as an integral part of their skills and
craft vocation and permanent devotion to the laborious and fruitful work of the field.

At the beginning of the 19th century and on the occasion of the presence of the republican armies in the
Sur, the historian José Manuel Restrepo, a close collaborator of Simón Bolívar, reports
from the presence of coffee in the areas of these regions (battle of Bombona Cosaca 7
August 1822) and in his memoirs he wrote, "this precious grain, whose consumption is growing
Every day in a civilized world, it can be cultivated among us to a great extent.
Almost all the skirts, hills, and slopes of our mountain ranges are intended for the
"coffee cultivation" from this annotation it is deduced that when the armies of Venezuelans and
Bogotanians were present in these areas surrounding the Galeras volcano, in the
municipalities of Florida, Sandona, Consaca, and Yacuanquer, coffee was already established and
it is part of the economy of this region.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the coffee produced in the municipalities of the newly created
Department of Nariño, was exported to the markets of Europe and the United States, by
the port of Buenaventura, directly from the production areas and then in
deposits made with specialized merchants located in the cities of
Popayán and Cali, as noted in the National Executive Decree number 427 of 16 of
May 1, 1905, given by Don Julián Buchelli Ayerbe, appointed as the first governor of
Nariño.

As can be seen, coffee production has notably and decisively influenced the
economic, social, and environmental aspects of our Region generated from its
I am starting a quality vision for the demanding international markets by placing at
this coffee region plays an important role in national production that made it possible
presence of delegates at the first National Coffee Congress in the year 1927 and the
holding of the sixth National Congress in the city of San Juan de Pasto in the year 1934
being the Manager of the Coffee Growers Federation of Colombia, Dr. Mariano Ospina
Pérez. In the year 1929, the coffee guild created the Departmental Committee of Coffee Growers of
In Nariño, in the year 1932, 5,300,737 coffee trees were registered as cultivated.
municipalities of Nariño in the Western sector; Sandona, Consaca, Samaniego,
Linarares, Yacuanquer, Ancuya, El Tambo, as in the northern region; in Buesaco, San Jose
from Alban, Colon, San Lorenzo, Taminango, La Cruz and La Union, among others.

Then with the support of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, and the work
constant of the Departmental Coffee Growers' Committee of Nariño, where they were present at
those remote years, people of great human, professional, and management value, among whom
It is worth mentioning for their achievements, the gentlemen: Julián Buchelli, Vicente Andrade, Enrique
Eraso Navarrete, Medardo Buchelli, Mardoqueo Apraez, Tomas Velasco, Carlos Puyana
Miguel Eduardo Román, among others. It spread through the work of the Coffee Growers' Committee.
even more the cultivation of coffee in the territories of Nariño, which have characteristics
climate specials, volcanic soil, brightness and location (latitude 1º 12"-40")
distinguishing itself since those times as a high-altitude coffee (1,450 m - 2,300 m)
excellent quality in the segment of specialty coffees in international markets.

It is worth noting that at that time, the concern of the coffee growers in the region was to
obtain the approval of the regional coffee brand, to distinguish it from those produced in
the rest of the country. This aspiration was reflected in the Presidential Decree of Doctor Olaya
Herrera No. 900 of May 20, 1932, which marks the coffees produced in the
different regions of the country. In the case of Nariño, it was given the brand Café Nariño.

Since its founding 90 years ago until today, the Federation of Coffee Growers through
your Departmental Committee of Coffee Growers of Nariño and the Cooperatives of the West and North,
has contributed to the development and progress of this Region by making investments
important in the construction of administrative and technical headquarters and marketing
of coffee, as it has also made significant investments in the construction of schools
aqueducts, roads, electrification, in addition to the implementation of programs of
food security, social security improvement of coffee infrastructure and
housing, adult education, business management, peaceful coexistence, thus generating
a favorable opinion among the members and the entire population, which recognizes it as a
Entity useful for the social welfare of coffee-growing regions and a driver for regional progress.

Currently, coffee production in the Department of Nariño takes place in 37

municipalities with a cultivated area of 32,554 ha, 95% technified, represented in
65.53% as caturra variety, 20.22% as castillo and Colombia variety, and 13.26% as
typical or common. 33,000 coffee growers and their families cultivate coffee on small plots.
predominating the smallholding in areas of production averaging 0.9 ha, where the
members of the same family are responsible for carrying out the different agricultural tasks and
cultural. A planting density of 5,000 – 7,250 trees per hectare is maintained.
approximately, with an average yield of 85 to 90 arrobas of parchment coffee
dry per hectare

In the Department, 400,000 bags of 60 Kg coffee are produced per year, which are
they are marketed as specialty coffees, through the Coffee Growers' Cooperatives, the
The West with 16 purchasing points and the North with 30 purchasing locations, and also by
the National Federation of Coffee Growers and private entities. Companies from Nariño and
Starbucks is the largest chain of specialty coffee shops in the United States.
Europe and Asia have as one of the star origins, the Supreme Nariño, which is
has been exporting for several years.

In the year 2002, the Italian company Illycaffe and the National Coffee Federation have
organized a contest known as 'the Colombian Coffee Quality Award for
Espresso
high quality coffee production. The coffees from the municipality stood out in this competition.
from Florida and Sandona.

In the year 2004, the Excellence Cup competition was organized in Colombia.
by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence, Inc., seeking to find the best coffees from each
country. I participated with 60 coffee samples of which 15 were preselected by
expert tasters obtaining 6 finalist samples, of which they became the recipient of
First place prize goes to Mr. Gregorio Arnulfo Botina from the municipality of Sandona, with a batch
of 2000 kilos and in second place Mr. José Yépez from the municipality of Chachagüi,
confirming once again the quality of the coffee produced in the department of Nariño. In
Annually, this competition is held with favorable results for the coffee grower.
regional, standing out in the first coffee growers awards of Buesaco, Chachagui among
others. In 1997, the National Coffee Pre-Congress of the Federation was held in Pasto.
with the presence of the General Manager and numerous national technicians and observers
international. Nariño was also chosen for the celebration of the Third Fair
International Specialty Coffee.

In addition, special coffee production and purchasing programs are developed in Nariño.
with a quality bonus, among which the regional coffees Nariño stand out,
AAA Nespresso Parchment and Maragogipe Parchment Rainforest Certification. Also
19,000 coffee farms are registered in the Nespresso AAA program, which adds value.
added to the purchase price per kilo improving the income of 14,000 coffee growers
people from Nariño.
Likewise, in recent years, Condor S.A. has been linked to this region.
with the purchase of coffee, encouraging coffee growers by holding competitions
better quality with excellent prizes and surcharges, with excellent results.

Today fortunately and thanks to the sustained work of the Coffee Federation of
Colombia, from the Departmental Committee of Nariño, its Directors, and Extension Service,
the Cooperatives of Coffee Growers of the West and North, of the Municipal Committees and of the
associated coffee-growing families, Nariño coffee is a standout factor for their
economy and development and is recognized worldwide for its high acidity, medium body,
sweet notes, clean, soft and exquisite aroma that makes it unique and highly desired
worldwide..

The cultivation and production of coffee in Nariño, in summary, has been a successful activity that has
benefited the Region and has made it possible to integrate it, with the beauty of its landscape and
volcanic soil worked with joy and diligence by its inhabitants, to Colombia and to the
World, having achieved just recognition for your honest work as an example for the future
generations.