MILAN – Coffee – also known as “the golden grain” will join the set of national symbols of Costa Rica according to a new bill that the Legislative Assembly unanimously approved in the second debate, last week.
The initiative -promoted by legislator Wagner Jiménez, of the National Liberation Party (PLN) – aims to recognize the value of coffee in the economic and social development of Costa Rica.
As Jiménez explained, coffee has been an important part of the country’s economy and history, according to a well-known local digital newspaper.
Coffee production in Costa Rica began in the late 1700’s in the Central Valley, which had ideal soil and climate conditions for coffee plantations. In the nineteenth century, the Costa Rican government strongly encouraged coffee production and the crop became a major source of revenue surpassing cacao, tobacco, and sugar production as early as 1829.
Although the country’s production has significantly decreased in the last two decades, Costa Rican coffee beans are still considered among the best in the world. The country produced about 1.4 million bags in coffee year 2018/19
