Guide to coffee-growing countries

Coffee is supposed to have originated in Ethiopia. The legend is that a shepherd noticed the effect the beans had on his livestock that chewed the beans. It was the Muslims who made the bean popular. As they were forbidden to drink alcohol, coffee became their preferred drink, and it was the Spaniards who brought coffee to South America. In North America tea was the preferred drink, but as tea became more expensive, and coffee coming from South America was inexpensive, it soon became the favored drink.

There are beans from two types of coffee trees: the Arabicas and the Robustas. The Arabicas originated in Ethiopia. Seventy percent of the world's coffee comes from the Arabicas. These beans are lightly roasted and coffee from them is distinctive with a delicate aroma, whereas the Robusta coffee beans are more heavily roasted to cover up a certain woodiness. Although all coffee growing depends on moderate sunshine, moderate rain and rich porous soil,

the Arabicas can only be grown at higher altitudes and are more susceptible to disease, and the Robustas can be grown in lower altitudes and are a hardier bean.

Coffee is the world's second largest trade commodity next to oil. It is cultivated the area bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

There are 50 coffee producing countries in the world and some coffee growing and producing countries in the world are: Brazil, Columbia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Jamaica, Panama, Venezuela, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Ethiopia, the African Congo, much of middle Africa.

Brazil is the number one coffee producing country supplying 35% of the world's coffee. Although most of the coffee comes from the Arabica bean and is considered high quality, it is said in recent years that the quality is suffering a little as the drive for higher yields and lower quality is being pursued. But still Brazilian coffee is said to be clear, sweet, medium bodied and with low acidity.

After Brazil Columbia is the next largest coffee producer, providing 12% of the world's coffee. With a rugged terrain, it is the perfect environment for growing coffee, but transporting is difficult, often done by mule or jeep. Coffee is such an important industry in Columbia, cars entering there are sprayed against harmful bacteria that might effect the coffee growing.

Africa grows a fair amount of the Robusta variety, with fair quality, but Arabcia is grown at high altitudes in Kenya, Tanzania and Cameroon.

In Asia, coffee production is being strongly developed due to increasing distribution and modern cultivation techniques, but it is mostly from Robusta beans. Vietnam is also growing Robusta beans. In Java there are top grade Arabicas, but Indonesia itself is known as the world's largest producer of Robusta beans, which is the favorite of U.S. drinkers.

As of The Economist 2009, the biggest coffee producers in the world are:

1. Brazil 
2. Vietnam 
3. Colombia 
4. Indonesia 
5. India

Source : helium.com