Report on Costa Rica Trip - February 2008
The BSA Executive Committee are always looking for innovative ways
to add value to membership of the BSA. Derek Burgess, Masteroast Coffee
Company, was asked to use his extensive networking capability to organise
a trip to Costa Rica. He recruited the help of Simon Wakefield of D.R.
Wakefield to make introductions on behalf of the BSA to Café Coop
in Costa Rica.
Upon arrival the first visit was to the coffee co-operative COOPELIBERTAD,
located in the highlands of Heredia and in the Central Valley coffee
growing region just 8km north of San Jose. Founded in 1961 the co-operative
has 1,800 farmers producing high grown quality coffee with an emphasis
on Utz and Rainforest Alliance certified beans. Edgar Zuniga, general
manager, explained how ethical certifications has led to more social
and responsible farming methods.
The following day the group travelled to the Irazu National Park to
see the largest volcano in Costa Rica. Standing at 11,257 feet, the
volcano is still active with the last eruption occurring between 1963
and 1965 killing 40 people and destroying some 400 buildings.
The trip continued south to the town of Santa Maria de Dota in the
heart of the world famous coffee growing region of Tarrazu, around
100km south of San Jose. BSA Chairman, David Veal presented a number
of local children with footballs and Englands jerseys. A definite highlight
for the whole group was being treated to dinner by the entire elected
board of members for the COOPEDOTA. Drinks flowed and coffee friendships
were made overnight.
The following morning, the journey took the group high into the coffee
fields of Tarrazu. Several hours were spent touring the plantations
and picking the cherries. At an altitude of over 6,000 feet, the highest
coffee growing region in Costa Rica, the views were truly superb!
Travelling south, the next visit was to the Fairtrade certified operation
COOPEAGRI. This was founded in 1962 and has over 5,300 producers of
which 900 are sugar cane producers. COOPEAGRI operates its own coffee
processing plant and a sugar refinery with over 30 properly paid employees
and promotes several partially complementary activities such as farming,
sale of fruit and vegetables, production of ready meals, a supermarket
and a petrol station.
The journey continued with a visit to the Pacific Rainforest Arial
Tram through secondary and primary rainforests. Eco-tourism has become
the most important industry in Costa Rica.
It was agreed by the group that the first BSA organised field trip
had been an undoubted success and thanks were especially made to Sebastien
Lefaye, General Manager of Café Coop for taking time out of
his busy schedule to host the part for the week.
