Honduras

El Paraiso coffee from Honduras

El Paraiso is the largest coffee-growing region in the south of Honduras, along the border of Nicaragua. It’s also one of the oldest coffee farming departments. Temperatures run slightly warmer here, from 16 to 22.5ºC, and altitudes range from 1,000 to 1,400masl. Coffee production is the primary source of income here and creates over a thousand jobs for the local population. The El Chile biological reserve, a vast mountain range rich with quality soil, unique microclimates, and high altitudes, surrounds El Paraiso.

What is Parainema coffee?

While Catuai is the most common green coffee variety grown in Honduras, the Instituto Hondureño del Café (IHCAFE) has been hard researching and developing improved varietals for farmers to maximize their production. A newer variety introduced by IHCAFE is Parainema is a dwarf cultivar that combines Villa Sarchi with a Timor Hybrid and is highly resistant to coffee leaf rust. Our Volcafe Way ground team in Honduras regularly distributes young Parainema coffee trees to producers.

Parainema coffee is valued for its unique cup profile and is easily recognized by its thin, elongated bean shape. It was first introduced in 2010 in the department of El Paraiso, hence the variety's name.