BOGOTA, Colombia – Coffees from Tolima, Nariño and Cauca were the winners in the 1st National Quality Contest ´Colombia, Land of Diversity´. The awarding ceremony was held within the framework of ExpoEspeciales Café de Colombia, in Corferias.
After a rigorous selection process led by domestic cup tasters, 59 lots, out of the 1,360 participating lots, were selected for the contest’s final phase.
The small lot category was evaluated for the individual attributes of acidity, balance, body, mildness and exoticness. In the large lot category, lots competed for best estate coffee.
José Anargel Rodríguez, from the municipality of Ibagué, Tolima, was the contest´s big winner. His lot won for the acidity and exoticness attributes. “I’m thrilled. This recognition is a source of great joy. For me, for my family, and for my children. It heightens my coffee enterprise and is a great incentive to continue growing,” said José Anargel.
María del Carmen Melo Pincho, from the municipality of Consacá, Nariño, won for the balance attribute. Diomedes Bolaños, from the department of Cauca, and Luis A. Muñoz, from the department of Tolima, were the winners in the body and mildness attributes respectively. The best estate coffee was the lot produced by Carlos A. Eraso, from La Unión, Nariño.
A total of 25 lots, including the winning lots, participated later in a live auction. Base prices were US$ 5 for the small lot category and US$ 2 for the large lot category, prices that will translate into higher income for producers and their families.
