For this month’s blog, we’ll be discussing a phenomenon that occurs heavily in January - the picking of the harvest. As you know, most of the people who collect the coffee cherries in Costa Rica come from our neighboring countries of Nicaragua and Pananama. Obviously, their immigration was complicated this year due to covid-19 restrictions. This created for a lot of uncertainty among farmers and requires even more effort into their production.
In this months’ blog, we are incorporating our first excerpt in Spanish by our very own lab manager, Maria Paula. We believe that she wrote some beautiful words about how the Tarrazu growing region feels during the harvest season and how the pandemic has been approached by this country. We also interviewed immigrant laborers from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama to learn more about how their experiences have felt this year.
We’ve been visiting many micro mills to observe their processing and keep connected throughout harvest. During a visit to Santa Rosa 1900 Micro Mill, we went to take a look at their “La Plaza” lot which was being harvested at the moment. We met some amazing people working in the field and wanted to learn more about their story. The encounter inspired us to also spend time with folks helping harvest at Don Eli. We got to know Olman and Anibal who were also open to share their experiences migrating to work here.
Abelino & Matilda are from Chiriqui Panama. 46 and 38 years old, respectively. They’re here with their 5 children and arrived on December 28th 2020. Coming across the border was complicated this year and they had to wait for 3 days at the border. Farmers had to have a lot of extra documents and pick them up directly at the border, then they were put into a house on the farm to quarantine for two weeks. The family didn't mind much and said that Abelino read the bible the entire time - he is a religious Christian. He said that they don't know anybody that has caught the virus to this date. As far as they are concerned it doesn't really even exist since they aren't able to see it. Abelino said that if he sees that it’s raining, for example, that he’ll take cover; but coronavirus isn't tangible. He believes that God will decide how everything turns out. Getting into Costa Rica this year was a lot of trouble and they didn’t really feel that it was worth it; nonetheless, they have to come here to work and make money since there's basically no opportunities back home. They are alright with the protocols put in place at the farm and don’t feel too affected since they are part of an agreeable social bubble.
Olman and Family are from San Ignacio de Cajon, Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica; which is south of Tarrazu. Olman is 40 years of age and was born and raised in Costa Rica. The last time he remembers coming to this area was to harvest coffee when he was a small child and his parents used to come here to collect coffee cherries back in the day. Olman and his wife have a small restaurant we call a “soda” which has suffered and closed down due to the pandemic. This harvest came at a good time for them not only to make money while their business is closed, but to also continue the tradition of collecting cherries together.
The family only knows one person that got covid-19 so far. but they understand that there were many cases in Perez Zeledon, the 3rd largest city in Costa Rica. There is a lot of changes in the work since they were kids - you have to keep separated from other workers and you cant just leave the farm and come back whenever you want. It’s harder to pick specialty coffee than how they used to harvest before; because you have to go slow, take of the tree, and you do less volume with higher prices. They say that they enjoy the activity and it gives them hope; even though they have to wake up so early to do it. They’re getting along with their boss, Carlos, and it’s nice and cool up here with lots of shade. They stated that it’s very important to take care of these workers.
Anibal is 42 years of age, he’s here with his family of 5, and is from Esteli Nicaragua. Anibal has been working in Costa Rica with a visa for 4 years - so he was here before and during the pandemic. He is one of two families that came from another coffee farm in Central Valley. This year, Carlos had to reach out to farmers in other areas that harvest at different times in order to “share” their labor. Anibal doesn’t know anyone who has contracted the virus yet and says he keeps in his family bubble very easily so he has no worries. Anibal is content with higher price Carlos is paying per cajuela for better specialty coffee pickings.
Maria Paula writes:
“Tarrazú, un lugar fértil y próspero con una economía basada en la caficultura, está por muchos años ha llevado progreso a la zona y le ha dado múltiples oportunidades a los productores y sus familias de desarrollarse y forjar un mejor panorama para el futuro.
Con la llegada de la crisis mundial por el COVID-19, una de las industrias con más incertidumbre ha sido la del café en Costa Rica, debido a que todos los años se cuenta con mano de obra panameña y nicaragüense para la recolección del grano de oro, este hecho llevó a la caficultura a un reto más para asumir, de esta manera como parte de las distintas alianzas que creó el Ministerio de Salud con distintas entidades como el ICAFE, se dió la creación de todo un protocolo donde se deben acatar medidas por parte de los recolectores, cafetaleros y personal migratorio. Así bien entre protocolos de aislamiento, transiciones seguras con pruebas de COVID negativas al país, traducción al idioma ngäbe de todas las medidas de lavado de manos, protocolo de estornudos y tos así como el uso correcto del cubrebocas, de igual manera se brindó una revisión exhaustiva de las casas que estos recolectores habitan en Costa Rica para lograr mejorar las condiciones de trabajo para ejercer con mayor responsabilidad esta actividad, que es un pilar tan importante económicamente para Tarrazú y el resto del país.
Después de que se acataron las distintas medidas fijadas por las autoridades de salud para los recolectores de café se asume otro reto aún más grande que consiste en la adaptación cultural de los recolectores especialmente panameños a la nueva realidad sanitaria, debido a que ellos comparten una cultura particular y diferente debido al hábitat que tienen en su lugar de origen, también se le dió la oportunidad a personas costarricenses de inscribirse para recolectar café ya que la reactivación económica debe ir de la mano con la solidaridad y la innovación para así buscar mejoras, sobre todo mayores oportunidades de empleo para los costarricenses.
Una vez más la industria cafetalera asume un nuevo reto que únicamente pudo ser sobrellevado con el amor y pasión que cada productor le tiene a este grano. Como todos sabemos la pandemia por COVID-19 vino a desafiar el mundo y más que todo a movernos de una zona de confort, sin embargo para los productores de café y todas las personas que de alguna u otra manera dependemos de esta cadena de valor ha sido un panorama retador, sin embargo gracias a la perseverancia, trabajo fuerte y dedicación se ha sobrellevado con el positivismo y compromiso que caracteriza a cada productor de café en Costa Rica, esperando así que la cosecha 2021 y las cosechas venideras sea aún más prósperas.”
