Optimal weather conditions for coffee cultivation

What climatic factors influence the growth and development of coffee plants?

Growing coffee for production is not easy, as it only develops most optimally between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, a strip of land known as the coffee belt, at altitudes between 800 and 2,000 meters.

Productive and healthy coffee plants require careful attention and dedication that specialty coffee growers take into account.

In this post we are going to name some of the most important ones that favor the cultivation of coffee:

Weather

In the coffee growing areas the predominant climate is tropical and equatorial, where humidity prevails throughout the year and is between 60% and 80%, a factor that enriches the soil where coffee is grown.

Temperature

• The optimum range for the cultivation of arabica coffee is between 18 and 22ºC, while for robusta coffees it is between 22 and 26ºC.
• In cold climates, where the temperature is below 18ºC, coffee varieties have less development and their production is lower.
• In hot climates, where the average temperature is higher than 25ºC, it can be easily affected by pests.

Rainfall

• The appropriate amount of rainfall for the crop is between 1,500 and 2,000 millimeters per year, about 125 millimeters per month.
• Excessive rainfall can easily damage the flowering of coffee plants.

Sun exposure

The recommended number of hours of sunshine is 1,800 hours per year. It is advisable not to exceed this number because it could damage the growth of the coffee plant and accelerate the ripening speed of the fruit, which is a negative aspect for quality coffee.

Shadow

It is recommended to grow under trees as they protect the crop from solar radiation in the dry season and will help with the supply of organic matter in the soil, giving a substantial improvement to the microbial life of the soil. It also reduces the effects of strong winds and possible adversities such as hail.

With the arrival of the climate change, many of the aforementioned factors may be altered, which is why, in the event ofclimate change, many of the aforementioned factors may be altered. all members of the coffee chain must put their efforts into the to continue todo our part to ensure that we continue to have a favorable weather conditions to be able to enjoy a coffee free of alterations and cultivated as it has been done for many años.