Planadas Regional Blend FW

Even though it is a fairly young town – established in 1966 – Planadas is vibrant commercial center. Many early settlers in Planadas came from Antioquia and Huila and unsurprisingly, they brought their heritage of fine coffee cultivation with them.  

Planadas sits between the foothills of the Cordillera Central mountain range and the Magdalena River, Colombia’s central river. Here, coffee farms are able to take advantage of the high altitude of the mountain range and plentiful water access from the many tributaries that flow from the mountains into the Magdalena River. 

Most farmers conduct primary processing (pulping and drying) on their own farms. Processing infrastructure varies widely but there are noticeable similarities between farms of similar sizes or regions. Broadly speaking, most farms have traditionally used the Fully washed method and utilize dry pulping to minimize water usage. 

Drying processes in Colombia are innovative and varied. Farmers may spread their parchment across the flat roofs (elvas) of their houses to dry slowly – sometimes in the shade but more often in the sun. 

Polytunnels and parabolic beds are also commonly used, particularly in high altitude and cooler temperatures zones. These structures are usually raised beds constructed similarly to mini-greenhouses with plastic sheeting stretched over an arched frame and openings at both ends to ensure airflow. These structures protect parchment from wet weather conditions while the even airflow allows for drying even in humid conditions.   

Tolima lies deeply nestled in the Central Andes. While the climate is well suited for coffee production, Tolima has remained a less popular region due to the prevalence of armed conflict and drug trafficking. Many farming communities have been caught in the crosshairs of these conflicts.    

More recently, the region has had an opportunity to open up and reduce incidents of violence and drug production or smuggling. Despite its complicated past, Tolima is Colombia’s third-largest coffee-producing department. 

In such conditions, producer organizations play an important role in transforming their communities. Associations or cooperatives can create more jobs and make coffee appear more appealing to young people. Many groups in the region organize courses and training to develop barista skills, quality control and even business management.  

In a region where the job availability outside of coffee farming is very limited, providing new opportunities for work is essential to draw young people away from becoming involved in the endless cycle of violence and criminality. On top of all the community-wide benefits, being part of a cooperative helps producers gain much better access to support on an agronomical, commercial and economic level.