Fair Trade Organic Mexico Oaxaca Zapoteca

We are very proud to be able to offer this exclusive, Fair Trade Organic Mexico coffee from Oaxaca after the growers’ farms were almost completely lost in 2011 due to a fierce bout of roya. For decades the region has produced some fantastic coffee from old arabica vines (some up to 20 years old), but the vast majority of that crop is now gone, having been painstakingly replaced with literally hundreds of thousands of new, quality-driven and rust-resistant saplings courtesy of Growers First. Quality Fair Trade Organic Mexico coffees from Oaxaca are indeed a rarity, and in years past we would bring in as much of the Zapoteca as we could get our hands on and still sell out—quickly! In the cup, this Fair Trade Organic Mexico is uniquely Oaxacan – sweet with notes of orange-citrus, very clean, good acidity and no traces of any unpleasant, dusty or earthy characteristics that lower quality Mexicans can frequently exhibit.

Is Fair Trade Organic Mexico Oaxaca Zapoteca the green coffee for you?

Qualities, Characteristics
& Brew Methods

Very clean, good acid, sweet notes of orange-citrus, slight hints of brown sugar and cocoa.

In 2011 these Oaxacan farmers were facing a catastrophic roya epidemic. In response Growers First rallied, arriving with workers, chainsaws and fuel, shredding literally thousands of roya-damaged trees into tattered firewood. Many farmers witnessed the decimation of the only coffee crop they had ever known, and one which produced a sweet and very good quality cherry (as is typically the case with old vine), but the downside of old age is increased susceptibility to bacteria and fungus as well as invasive insects. This was a difficult and uncertain time for the farmers, and for a time our stock of Zapoteca found itself on an unscheduled furlough. During that period Growers First stayed behind to establish a nursery, plant a new root stock at just the right time and donate saplings that would eventually replenish the region and once again allow us to offer a Fair Trade Organic Mexico coffee from Oaxaca to our roasters. Thankfully our partnership continued through these critical years, and with production steadily increasing we’re able to once again source a healthy volume of the Zapoteca green.

This new Fair Trade Organic Mexico Oaxacan coffee features a crop of Costa Rica 95, Icatu and Sarchimor varietals—all crossbred hybrids, engineered to produce consistently good yields with extended life expectancies and strong disease resistance. Growers First conducted numerous preliminary tests before making the determination that these types were best suited for Oaxaca’s microclimate to produce a high quality Fair Trade Organic Mexico coffee. Costa Rica 95 (ICAFE 95) is a Catimor-type cross of Timor and Caturra – it has very good resistance to both coffee berry disease and rust, and has been planted extensively throughout Honduras and Costa Rica since the 1980’s. Icatu was developed in Brazil in the 1990’s by the IAC (Instituto Agronômico de Campinas) using Bourbon and Mundo Novo – it has a good cup quality, good disease resistance and produces significantly more cherry than Mundo Novo. Sarchimor (like Costa Rica 95) is a relative of Catimor and a disease resistant cross of Timor and Villa Sarchi, a Bourbon mutation similar to Caturra and Pacas.

 

 

Coffee is the life blood of Oaxaca, and for the past several years the Unión de Productores Campesinos Tierra Indígena Zapoteca (UPCTIZ co-op for short) has been focused on improving quality through better picking, better processing and better drying—in turn receiving better pricing. They’ve even started a small scale honey bee program to boost pollination for the new saplings. These are all small farmers whose plots are tucked away into unassuming nooks and hillside pitches throughout the landscape, hidden from the journeyman and major roadways. The co-op was initially formed by a majority of Oaxacan farmers who decided to band together in order to acquire Fair Trade/Organic certification and produce a Fair Trade Organic Mexico Oaxaca coffee crop. For our part, we’re very happy to substantially support the UPCTIZ growers with equitable and fair premiums that are stable and far in excess of the Fair Trade minimums.

UPCTIZ represents several generations of proud growers from 13 different villages that have worked the same land for decades. The co-op headquarters is located in nearby San Miguel, where it maintains an arabica greenhouse and provides a number of benefits and services to its members. While visiting with Growers First, we met with one of patriarchal members, Mr. Lau, now the grandfather and his son Saul, who is a second generation grower. We emphasize that these are very hard working people who live off their own land as subsistence farmers, growing their own food and relying only on one another; coffee is their cash crop and everything else (beans, corn, herbs, produce) go right from farm to table. There’s no sugar coating it, this a tough, rugged life that is largely dependent on coffee and the income it provides. Our fundamental goal is to strengthen the village and the co-op, and in the process establish operations as more sustainable, more lucrative and easier to maintain.

Coffee Origin

Oaxaca

Sierra Mixe Zapteco

Union de Productores Campesinos Tierra Indigena Zapoteca (UPCTIZ)

3,500 - 5,200 ft (1000 - 1600m)

Nov - Jan

Spot Inventory

Continental, East Coast

75

Annex, West Coast

5

Forward / Afloat Availability

No details found

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Fair Trade Organic Mexico Oaxaca Zapoteca?

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How to order

Check out our green coffee offerings. Available coffees are currently in warehouse, while forward/afloat can be contracted to receive at a later date. Samples can be sent upon request.

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Shipping Information & Policy

Customers can choose which warehouse location is most convenient for them and arrange for their own pickup and delivery of their coffee, or we can make these arrangements for you. Coffee is generally shipped 10 bags to a pallet.

Place Your Order

Place your order at (805) 379-5252 or email sales@vournascoffee.com using the online form. New customers are required to pay in advance with credit card or bank wire transfer prior to shipment of coffee.

Product Shipment

If the warehouse receives all the paperwork, including BOL if we handle shipping, before 11 AM PST the product usually ships out the next day.

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