Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic produces between 350,000-500,000 bags per year, however, only about 20% (70,000 to 80,000 bags) is exported. Since coffee consumption inside the Dominican Republic is so high, relatively little raw unroasted coffee is exported. The high internal consumption means that the quality parameters tend to be set by mediocre internal standards, rather than by today’s higher specialty expectations. Nevertheless, the potential for finding more fine coffees and learning more about the growers and regions led us to explore the two thirds of the beautiful Caribbean island that is the Dominican Republic.

The farms are spread throughout the country’s six growing regions. These were officially denominated by the government to better promote the individual profiles of the coffees from these distinct microclimates. The regions are Cibao, Bani, Azua, Ocoa, Barahona and Juncalito. Each region creates beans with distinct physical and chemical characteristics. However, there may be as many as 25 distinct production zones around the island centred amongst the four mountain ranges. The main coffee varieties cultivated are are Típica, Caturra, Catuaí, Bourbon and Mundo Novo.

Coffee here grows at between 600m and 1450m. Given the extreme diversity of the island’s microclimates and topography, coffee is being harvested almost all year round at one place or another on the island although the peak harvest period takes place from November to May, peaking in April around the Semana Santa (Holy Week) festival.

The farms are typically small – less than eight acres on average – and much of the coffee production in the Dominican Republic is organic, though many farms are not officially certified. The majority is also shade-grown, often under a canopy of native pine, macadamia and guava trees.

Most Dominican producers process their coffee themselves, in small wet mills called ‘beneficios humedos’. All coffee is wet-processed, cherries are de-pulped within 24 hours, naturally fermented, washed and pre-dried in the sun. The beans in parchment are then transported to large dry mills where the coffee is prepared for export or for sale in the domestic market.

The new crop generally ships from the Dominican Republic in July/August.