BOGOTA, Colombia – Castillo variety coffees were the big winners of the first National Quality Contest “Colombia, Land of Diversity” held under the frame of ExpoEspeciales Café de Colombia 2016.
The Castillo variety was developed by Cenicafé to benefit Colombian coffee growers. This victory confirms the high quality of Castillo’s cup profile.
The exceptional quality of Castillo® variety’s sensory attributes was also reflected in the higher prices that buyers paid in the auction held after the contest.
Such was the case of the 100% Castillo variety coffee lot produced by José Anargel Rodríguez in the farm Morro Azul in the municipality of Ibagué department of Tolima. Mr. Rodriguez’ lot was sold to the Chinese company Shanghai Mellower at a record price of US$ 50.5 per pound.
Prior to the auction, Mr. Rodriguez’ lot was evaluated by a group of international judges according to an innovative and unique protocol. It won first place in the acidity and exoticness categories.
The coffee grown by Mr. Milher Urrego, in the farm El Diamante in the municipality of Fusagasugá department of Cundinamarca, was sold at the third highest price in the auction: US$ 22.5 per pound. Similarly, the coffee of Carlos A. Eraso, winner of the large lot category, was 92% Castillo® variety.
Importance of the Castillo variety
The Castillo variety was the result of the hard work of the National Coffee Research Center (Cenicafé): the scientific arm of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC).
Castillo is resistant to diseases such as coffee leaf rust and the coffee berry disease, represents high productivity and has a crop file of excellent quality.
As was demonstrated in the first National Quality Contest “Colombia, Land of Diversity,” Castillo variety’s features translate into better income for producers.
