Nicaragua Needs A Perfect Cup of Joe

Nicaragua’s arabica coffee production is stagnating, which some attribute to insufficient government support, low global prices, and coffee rust (roya). At the same time, the rural population is increasing. Rural workers, who are a key labor source for the coffee industry, are bearing most of the economic burden. However, Centroamericano, a new coffee variety developed exclusively by Nicaraguan growers, could usher in a brighter future. The rust-resistant variety is the first of its kind to score a 90 or higher in the world’s top taste competition.