Peru Cajamarca Fair Trade Organic

STORY

Chirinos is a coffee grower’s cooperative located in northern Peru’s San Ignacio province, within the Cajamarca growing region. Cajamarca, which extends to the Ecuador border, is situated in the Andes mountains, the longest mountain range in the world. Since being founded in 1968, Chirinos has grown from 36 to over 700 members, some of whom have been a part of the organization since its inception. The group aims to improve the quality of life of its members through education, sustainability initiatives, and food security programs, as well as the diversification of their lands. 

Environmental awareness is rooted in the ethos of the Chirinos community, and much of the coffee cultivated there is organic. While better for the environment, organic production can create challenges for producers, limiting their options to combat pests and diseases and the types of fertilizer that they can use. Addressing the issue of access to organic fertilizer, the Chirinos co-op maintains a large plant that produces organic compost which is distributed amongst its members.

Peru is relatively new to the specialty coffee scene, though it possesses everything needed to produce great coffee. Over the past several years, Chirinos has developed a micro-lot program where the best tasting lots are identified and sold separately. Their commitment to increasing quality and showcasing individual producers has resulted in securing higher prices from buyers, integrating seamlessly into the group’s goal of bettering the lives of its members.