Why doesn’t Panama have a coffee axis like Colombia?

The title of this text was a question that arose in those discussions that take place on social networks, specifically in X, formerly Twitter. Users who joined the topic about coffee and tourism They began to wonder why Panama have the best coffee in the worldThere was no area with such a promotion as that of the Colombian brothers?

If you are looking for information about coffee osit is immediately clear that it is a geographical, cultural, economic and ecological region Colombiaone of the most visited tourist areas in that country and “an almost obligatory stage of any trip to what is considered the country essential coffee“. He coffee os It is located in the center of the western Colombia and it is a part Andean regionover the mountain ranges Western and Central. As well explained, the place owes its bliss coffee which was and is an important product in the development of the Colombian economy and the well-being of its inhabitants.

In case of our countrywho know about coffee industry They did not hesitate to answer: Panama has its “coffee axis”but it is called A round of coffee.

He A round of coffee is a network of companies that strives to improve the country’s tourist attractions Cafe Park Chiricano as an agro-ecotourism destination, and consists of a total of four districts and sixteen municipalities, located in the upper part Chiriqui provincewhich is located at the western end of Panama, on the border with Costa Rica.

is around Renaissance, highlands, Boquete and Hornito, although they are in talks to expand the circle to the whole District of Gualaca.

Mirhanna Sandoya, Executive Secretary of the Board of Directors of Coffee Circuithe explained that every country has its own uniqueness and a platform on which it shares its tourist offer with the world, and in the case of our country, A round of coffee started at the end of 2018 with the aim that producers coffee could generate additional income besides coffee production. During the launch, the circle was only a registered trademark in the name Panama Tourist Authority (ATP), which then represented 18 farms that had already started promoting tours. Today, the circle consists of ten guilds, a ATP recently transferred the brand to a private foundation, Center for Competitiveness of the Western Region of Panama (CECOM-RO).

According to Sandoya, it was a laborious and complex process, but once the foundation’s legal status was formalized, agricultural and tourism training, equipment delivery and alliances were developed, resulting in 33 farms achieving their certification. agritourism economy.

In fact, during the first week of October, the circle was notified to proceed with the strengthening and promotion process, a phase which will start in November and end in February 2024, so they hope to be present in the minds of national tourists in Marchto later take the track to the international level.

“A round of coffee It’s the first tourism circle in the country… The idea is to grow and strengthen the circle,” Sandoya recalled, as they envision tour operators coming together to create packages and put together logistics for tourists, rather than visiting farm by farm individually, because if you are currently browsing the web portal of the trail, you can select a destination, farm, activities, accommodation…, but the visitor must match each place directly.

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Irene Ortiz, from Technical unit of the master plan, ATP Planning Directorateconfirmed that since the circuit is managed through the foundation, it is sustainable over time and does not need to depend on a government entity to develop the product.

“Ultimately, a management model is created to enhance one’s experience tourism product which in this case is through coffee,” he commented, recalling it as Panama It has the recognition of the best coffee in the world Geisha coffee, there is a relationship between visitors to know the destination that produces it. He also emphasized that coffee production is the main agricultural activity that the farms are engaged in, and tourism is their supplementary activity.

Quality coffee

Francisco Serracín, first vice president of the Chiriquí Chamber of Commerce, mentioned that for Panama, coffee It represents 1% of GDP, and although in percentage terms it is not a sector that creates an economic effect, because we are not the largest coffee producers in the world, it creates pride that we have the exclusivity of producing the finest and most expensive coffee in the world.

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“He the coffee sector in Panama “basically it differs in that it is a country that produces a cup of extremely differentiated quality and allows us to be very competitive,” expressed the expression that gained strength after the consultation Hunter Tedman, President of the Specialty Coffee Producers Association of Panama (SCAP), because it was he who made it clear that the question of the best coffee in the world does not come from an emotional position, but that this is what the data shows, after the highest rating and price at competitions.

“Of course Panama cannot compete in volume or price coffee from Colombia or Brazil, who produce cheap coffee. We neither can nor want to produce quality. The fact that we produce little makes it very expensive,” he explained.

For Serracinthe fact that all kinds social media concerns about coffeeshows the work of producers over the last 26 years, who have taken on the task of positioning Panama in an important and special place so that there is a different concept of coffee cultivation in the country.

“The essence of all this was developed by the manufacturer’s own efforts,” he emphasized.

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Creating new circuits

When we talk about coffee, we immediately think of the country’s highlands, but the lowlands also have something to offer, so much so that, according to Sandoya, mapping is done to structure a small circle in Western Panama and create a community rural tourism concept.

Serracín explained that lowland producers produce canéfora coffee, an initiative that started with Panama Canal Authority (ACP) reforest the banks of the Canal, and this spread, so much so that they have quality management quite similar to that which is carried out in up there.

“It’s good that they do that, because they can put Panama in an even different place, as we have very high-quality arabica, but also very high-quality canephora or robusta,” he said.

And if we talk about new circles, they are also planned launch the Gulf of Chiriquí tourism circuit in January 2024which will include from Barú do Tolé (Puerto Armuelles, La Barqueta, Las Lajas, Boca Chica…) and start the design Folkloric tourist circuit.

exactly, Ortiz from ATP, He said that entity works with Ministry of Agricultural Development (Mida) and its agritourism program to strengthen farms in other areas of the country, and with the private sector to achieve the creation and promotion of these products.