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Default Geography Two - CROPS

COFFEE


INTRODUCTION

Coffee is the leading tropical commodity in international trade and is the chief export crop of Latin America and Caribbean countries. Coffee drink has become universal but not like tea. Though coffee is not universally grown, but its importance as a beverage can be measured by the number of coffee houses established all over the world. It is estimated that now coffee is consumed to the extent of 3 million pounds daily throughout the world.

ORIGIN

It is generally agreed that coffee originally belonged to Abyssinia and was brought to Arabia in about the 13th century. At that time, Coffee became a universal drink among the Arabs. Its use and cultivation in other countries spread like wild fire. By the mid of the 16th century, the pilgrims to Mecca expanded its market and everywhere its cultivation was experimented somewhere it was succeeded and somewhere it was failed. Dutch brought coffee from Arabia which was experimented in the botanical gardens of Amsterdam. The experiment was successful and its cultivation was practised in Dutch East Indies at Batavia (Djakarta). France experimented its cultivation in 1669 and from here its cultivation spread to South America where it thrived well in Brazil. Now coffee drink has become universal, but not like tea. Coffee houses sprang up in the countries all over the world, providing secured market for coffee.

GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS

The coffee tree requires heat, humidity, abundant rainfall, and rich and well-drained soil. Continued high temperature throughout the year, and frost are intolerable. So it neither flourishes outside the tropics like tea nor near the Equator like Cocoa. A temperature of 18o C to 27o C, and a rainfall above 1150 mm (26 inches) during the period of growth, and a temperature hovering around 15o C with a few showers in harvesting time are the climatic requirement.

Temperature
Coffee thrives best where the climate is warm and moderately moist. Moderate heat and an equable temperature are desirable. The heat must not be excessive because the plant is delicate and cannot tolerate sunshine. Coffee trees cannot stand continued frost. Yet it cannot stand too much, direct sun 65 to 80o F of temperature during the period of growth and 60o F at the harvesting time is an ideal temperature.

Protection from Sunshine

When coffee plants are young, protection from the direct rays of sun is necessary. Due to this fact, cultivation under the cover or shelter of the trees is required to lessen the heat from the direct rays of the sun. strong winds are also harmful, so protection from the wind is also necessary. It is commonly found that coffee plants are associated with other plants to provide shelter and protection against sunshine and wind to the former. Bananas, corn and peas are grown to provide shade. Bananas and Erythrinas are frequently grown between the rows of coffee plant to protect the delicate plant from both the burning of heat of the direct sun, and strong force of the wind. In Brazil, a tall, coarse pea is planted to afford protection. This coarse pea plant also manure the soil, when it dies down.
Shade is not necessary for south Brazilian production, near the tropic of Capricorn; but essential on Colombian plantations, much closer to the Equator.

Rainfall
Coffee plants thrive well in regions which have annual rainfall between 1350-1400 mm (54”-56”). It should be well distributed. Heavy rainfall is required during the period of growth but during harvesting time a few light showers improve the quality and yield of the plant. stagnant water injures the roots of the crop, so good drainage system for free movement of water is necessary.

Soil
The best soils for growing coffee is the virgin forest land, rich in vegetable remains. Red volcanic soil, rich and well drained, favors the growth of tea plants. Soil should be neither too acidic nor too alkaline. Hills and high lands with good drainage system are desirable for coffee plantation. It exhausts the soil, so the application of green manure is necessary. Soil need both nitrogen and potash.

Labor
Coffee is produced almost as a mercantile commodity. Its preparation undergoes large processes and each process needs handwork. So its large output depends largely on the supply of abundant and cheap labor.

Other Factors
Among other factors price, coffee disease and government support may be mentioned. Production is restricted if the production is uneconomical. This happened in Brazil in 1897, when there was heavy fall of prices due to over production. In Sri Lanka and southern India, coffee plantation has been abandoned due to the ravages of insects and Fungi. In Yemen, inspite of favorable soil and climatic conditions, production suffers due to heavy taxes and bad governance.

PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION
Coffee is centered in the tropical regions of Latin America, Africa and Indonesia. About 90% of the world’s coffee is grown at elevations ranging from 305 to 1830 meters.

South America

Brazil
Coffee, a native of Abyssinia or probably Arabia, has migrated and appears to have finally settled in Brazil, which produces about 20% of the world’s output. Coffee plantation called Fazendas, are located on the southeastern highlands in the states of Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. The bulk of the coffee is grown also in the states of Paraná, and Mallo Grasso. Sao Paulo region of Brazil is the heart of coffee production in South American countries.
Coffee is mostly grown on the leeward hill slopes between 300-800 m. Above 800m, the temperature remains too low for coffee plantation. The valley bottoms are also abandoned as inversion of temperature is a common phenomenon. The summer is extending from October to April and coincides with the rainy season and thus become an ideal growing period. The dry and sunny winter from May to August is not only helpful for ripening and harvesting but also for drying and transporting.
The Terra Roxa soil of Sao Paula, derived from Basalt, is permeable and rich in iron. The coffee grown there fetches more prize than the coffee of the northern provinces. The use of fertilizer can multiply the yield several times. The problem of labor is solved by the Italian immigrants. The Fazendas are covered with a network railways which converge at the ports of Rio de Janeiro and Santos.

Colombia
No where is the coffee grown so near the equator as in Colombia. Nearness to the Equator as in Colombia. Nearness to the Equator is offset by the great height of the plantations. Its lowest height is as high as the highest one of Brazil and continues upto 2000 m. Colombia, with a crop nearly 1/3rd of Brazil, is the second largest producer. The coffee is brought down by mules and coolies and exported to USA and Europe. The economy of mountainous Colombia is based upon coffee, more than any other thing.
About 3/4th of Colombia coffee is grown west of the Magdalena River and south of Medellin, chiefly on the slopes of the Central Cordillera in the departments of Caldas and Antioquia. Coffee is also grown on the western slopes of eastern cordillera around Bucaramanga and Bogota.

Other Countries
A considerable amount of coffee is grown in Venezuela. Here oil is of greater importance than coffee. Peru and Ecuador also produce small amount of coffee on the mountain slopes. In Venezuela and Ecuador the coffee growing areas lie much nearer to the coastal areas.

North and Central America

Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica are important producers of this region.

Mexico
With increasing distance from the equator coffee come down from a height of 2000 to 4000 meters in Mexico. It is still the darling of the rugged lands which provide excellent drainage. The red soil sand the decomposed lava ensure high yield. The hot rainy season is followed by the cool dry season. Transportation is difficult and men and beasts carry the coffee down. At times, a small railway, as in Costa Rica, is also used. Mexico is the forth largest producer of coffee in the world. Coffee is cultivated in the southern portion of Sierra Madre oriental (mountain system in Mexico) and in the highlands of Chiapas to the south Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

Guatemala
Coffee is the most important crop of Guatemala, which is grown on the mountain slopes. Coffee is mostly grown for domestic consumption and for exports. Guatemala, with El Salvador, is an important coffee exporter of Central America.

West Indies
Many islands of the West Indies have the requisite conditions for coffee plantation, but the island of Hispaniola is the greatest exporter. Jamaica is the producer of “Blue Mountain Coffee” – the highest priced coffee in the world. Puerto Rico is also an important grower.

Asia

Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Yemen and South Vietnam are the coffee producers in Asia. The coffee plantations were completely wiped out from India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia by a pest. By the introduction of Coffee Robust, India and Indonesia have regained their lost position.

Arabian Region
Arabs are great coffee drinkers, but they export almost all the coffee they produce. The world famous “Mocha Coffee” of Arabia is noted for its flavor, and fetches high price. The Arabian coffee region is located on the highlands of Yemen in the southwestern part of the peninsula. The mist which rises from the hot Red Sea envelopes the coffee trees, protects them from the direct rays of the sun and supplies moisture to the plants. The production of coffee is very small.

India
India is the largest producer of coffee in the world. In India, coffee is grown on the leeward slopes of the Western Ghats. The production of coffee, which requires an altitude of 915 to 1200 meters above sea-level for its proper nurturing and a temperate climate in a tropical zone, is now mainly distributed in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, while a small crop is harvested in Andhra Pradesh. Over 300,000 people – chiefly drawn from Kerala, parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu – are employed in coffee industry. many of the coffee estates are inter-planted with orange trees, Cardamom, and Pepper Vines. There are only two types of coffee grown on commercial scale in India, the one most extensively cultivated being Coffee Arabia and the best in quality, with Robusta coming next in importance. coffee plantation is now very popular in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Indonesia
Indonesia is the 3rd largest producer of coffee in the world. Coffee is grown in Java and Sumatra islands. In Java and Sumatra coffee occupies highland slopes above 600 meters. Java coffee is noted for its quality.

Africa


Coffee plantations has been extending lately to its original home Ethiopia. Other important coffee-growing African countries are Kenya, Uganda, Zaire, Cameroon and Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast is the 5th and Uganda is 9th and Ethiopia is 8th in world coffee production.

TRADE

Imports

USA, Canada and European Countries are the major consumers of coffee. USA is the leading importer followed by West Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Canada and Britain. Japan is also an important importer.

Exports
Almost all coffee growing regions export coffee. Brazil, the leader in production, also leads in export. Colombia, the second largest producer, is also the second largest exporter of coffee. Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Costa Rica are other important American exporters. From Africa; Ivory Coast, Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia have the lion’s share in coffee export. Indonesia is the only country from Asia, which has a substantial share in world’s coffee export.
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