When exploring the country, it's impossible to leave out one of the regions where the most coffee is produced, and above all, an area that has worked so hard to bring the best quality to our cups. In the Tolima region, rice isn't the only symbol; it's a land as rich in coffee as every corner of Colombia, and it's time to learn more about its coffee traditions.
The land of the Pijao Indian
The department of Tolima, with the city of Ibagué as its capital, is a region located in the center-west of the country in the heart of the Andean region. It borders Caldas to the north, Cundinamarca to the east, and Huila and Cauca to the south. To the west, it borders three other departments: Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, and Quindío. It is a medium-sized department with an area of almost 24,000 km2, home to approximately 1,340,000 people. The vast majority of these people make their living from four major economic axes: mining, tourism, the textile industry, and, of course, agriculture, where rice, corn, tobacco, and, of course, coffee stand out.
Its geography is somewhat diverse, with altitudes ranging from 710 to 5,360 meters above sea level. It is a department with significant temperature contrasts, boasting some of the hottest municipalities in the country's interior and a cold and beautiful snow-capped mountain range.
The burgundy cup
Although the color in our cup may sometimes vary and appear lighter, the burgundy in this case is due to the colors of the Tolima flag. The history of coffee in our country tells us that in the Tolima region, in 1818, by order of General Nariño himself, the first coffee tree was planted, right in the central park of Ibagué. Just 50 years later, coffee was already being commercially planted in much of the department. A long time has passed since that first coffee tree in the main square, and today coffee has become so important in the region that the department of Tolima is the third largest producer nationwide.
But to achieve this, major investments have been made in coffee in the region and significant challenges have been overcome. Over the years, technical assistance, the implementation of resistant varieties, and a protocol of best practices have earned Tolima coffee great worldwide recognition for its quality. Among the crises that coffee has experienced in the region, coffee leaf rust has been the most impactful, and as we know, it is a major pest that affects both the tree and the fruit. But with the strength and capacity for reinvention that characterizes the people of Tolima, they were able to confront this crisis, and thanks to research, they developed resistant varieties. Currently, more than 80% of the region's coffee plantations are planted with disease-resistant varieties, which means they have good productivity for up to seven years.
Currently, coffee is grown in the department in 38 different municipalities, with a planted area of more than 107,000 hectares spread across more than 70,000 coffee farms. All of this is cultivated by 61,000 coffee growers, of whom 19,000 are women who manage 30,000 of the 107,000 hectares and are members of 29 different women's coffee growers' associations.
But what is the cup of Tolima coffee like?
Volcanic soils often add and enhance unique qualities to agricultural products, and this is evident in Tolima coffee, with its unique cup profile. This coffee boasts medium-high acidity and body. It's a very clean cup that highlights balance and sweet flavors, generating a combination of citrus and fruity sensations. For all these reasons, Tolima coffee has been recognized with the "Denomination of Origin" seal since 2017.
Origin Tolima
Let's be clear about one thing: a coffee with the taste of the snowy mountains and the warmth of the department is a cup that invites you to try it. Because if we want to discover all the flavors of our country and its characteristic product, we can't ignore this region that produces quality and good flavor for cups around the world.