- Origen: Honduras
- Subregión: El Paraíso
- Variedad: IHCAFE 90, Lempira, Parainema
- Proceso: Lavado
- Notas: Melocotón, caramelo de mantequilla, galleta de malta
Oropéndolas es un esfuerzo colectivo de siete fincas en la región montañosa de El Paraíso, Honduras. Lideradas y procesadas por el veterano agricultor Moisés Sosa, estas fincas dependen de la mano de obra local y del conocimiento comunitario transmitido de generación en generación. Las fincas cuentan con altitudes de hasta 2000 metros y cultivan variedades como Parainema, IHCAFE 90 y Lempira. El café se procesa cuidadosamente en el beneficio de Moisés Sosa. Lavado, fermentado durante un día y secado en patios y camas africanas (raised beds), este lote captura la esencia de la tradición hondureña en la producción de café lavado de pequeños productores.
History of Coffee in Honduras
Prior to 1900, coffee was essentially a garden crop in Honduras, grown on small lots of land and traded within the country for internal consumption. Less than 10 percent of the coffee harvested was exported in 1894. By 1900, exports had more than doubled, but banana was still king. A decline in banana production over the decades coincided with a slow but steady growth in coffee production. Today, Honduras is the largest coffee producer in Central America, exporting more than 5 million bags last year, and is one of the largest exporters of specialty grade coffee.
Growing Coffee in Honduras
Honduras is somewhat unique in that it experienced the most significant growth in export volume after the emergence of the specialty coffee industry, so new farmers and new mills begin with quality as their goal. Coffee is now pervasive in Honduras, grown in 210 of the 298 municipalities and throughout central and coastal highlands within six districts identified as Coffee Regions. Starting in the north and moving south, the regions are Copan, Opalaca, Montecillos, Comayagua, El Paraiso, and Agalta. More than 60 percent of Honduras coffee is grown above 12 hundred meters and as high as 16 hundred. Almost 90 percent of Honduras coffee is grown on small (less than 153 bags) and medium (between 153 and 766 bags) sized farms. Virtually all Honduras coffee (over 90 percent) is washed and sun dried. Plant varieties include Cautuai, Caturra, Bourbon, Typica, and Pacas.
