Juan Abad has been producing coffee for 18 years on his farm, El Pino, located in Zumba, Zamora Chinchipe. Over the last few years, he has recognised the impact of exotic varieties and post-harvest processing on the specialty coffee market and the resulting premiums they can achieve.
In response, Juan is establishing a nursery with Chiroso and Geisha varietals, aiming for his first production within three years. While he has traditionally processed his coffees as fully washed, he is now seeking to learn more about fermentation and processing techniques to experiment with his current crops.
The farm sits at 1,650 MASL with open views of Zumba City, surrounded by rich native forests near the Yacuri and Podocarpus National Parks. A wide variety of trees, such as Cedar, Laurel, and Balsa, populate the surrounding environment.
