Colombia – Chapata

PRODUCER
The Anserma cooperative is located in the western part of the Caldas department. Founded in 1967, it has extensive experience in coffee trading. It operates in Anserma, Risaralda, San José, Belalcázar, and Viterbo. The cooperative’s primary goal is to support the economic, social, technical, and cultural conditions of its members, who are engaged in agricultural activities, primarily coffee cultivation.

The cooperative brings together 2,083 coffee growers who cultivate high-quality coffee with dedication and passion. In addition to coffee, they also grow sugarcane and bananas as an additional source of income.

PROCESSING
The cooperative now operates a wet processing station where it receives and processes coffee cherries from local farmers. Upon delivery, the coffee is sorted using an optical sorter capable of processing 16 tons per hour. The cherries are then submerged in water to remove defective fruits and are left to rest in green baskets for 10–12 hours.

The next step is drying in a mechanical silo. Initially, the coffee is dried slowly without movement until moisture levels decrease. Then, it begins to move within the silo. The entire drying process takes approximately 100 hours.

Once dried, the coffee remains in its parchment layer, is packed, and later hulled to prepare it for export.

VARIETY
The Anserma cooperative focuses on cultivating the Colombia, Castillo, and Caturra varieties. These varieties are favored for their balance between quality and yield, making them an ideal choice for cultivation in the Anserma region.