Guatemala Benito Ramos

Benito Ramos is a second-generation coffee producer in Concepcion Huista, Huehuetenango región. During the harvest Benito made sure that his cherries were pickind in three passes to ensure that only the ripest cherries were picked. The cherries were depulped with the clean depulper the same day of the picking. The coffee was then fermented with water in plastic tubs for 36 hours. After washing the coffee was then soaked another 12 hours in water and eventually taken to the patios to dry for six days.

The name of Benito’s farm, T’zun-Wit’z, comes from the local indigenous language Popti. T’zun means “Birth” and Wit’z translates into “The Hill” so the farm is called “Birth of the Hill”. “In the beginning we were farming beans and corn but my dad decided to plant coffee trees on the farm. With a little training we achieved some good results”, Benito explains. Benito is part of Cooperative El Sendero, which provides support and education for coffee producers in and around Concepcion Huista.

In the future Benito is interested in strengthening his agronomic practices and his post-harvest processes.

FROM THE PRODUCER: “The most interesting learning for me has been to see our plants and farm to grow. Thanks to coffee my children have been able to study. The only time I worry is when the prices will go down but we are motivated to grow coffee for many years to come”, Benito says.