Summary
The post analyses the status of Costa Rica Coffee as a Geographical Indication under national law, despite the absence of formal GI registration. It reviews relevant Costa Rican legislation governing coffee production and highlights the program identifying distinct coffee regions. The analysis details the legal and agronomic criteria required for GI recognition, including region specificity, quality, and production techniques. The post concludes that granting GI status to Costa Rica Coffee is justified and beneficial for safeguarding its unique identity and economic significance.
Costa Rica has no registered geographical indication (GI) for coffee but has incorporated Geographical Indications and Denomination of Origin within the Law on Marks and other Distinctive Signs, 2000. To expand access to international markets with high-quality products, iCAFE has established the programme “seven regions, seven coffees”, identifying important coffee regions with individual profiles. Whether a GI should be nation-wide or region-wide remains under discussion. Several national regulations govern the coffee sector:
- Law No. 19302-MAG (1989) forbids production of any variety other than Arabica coffee
- Law No. 2762 governs relations between producers, processors, and exporters
- Law No. 7978 (promulgated 2000) covers marks and other distinctive quality signs
- Certification standards exist for Costa Rican speciality coffee
Justification for GI Status
Costa Rica’s tropical rainy climate and volcanic, slightly acidic soils rich in organic matter are well suited to coffee cultivation. More than 70% of the coffee is produced in mountain areas at altitudes of 1000-1700 mts and temperatures averaging 17-23°c across the eight enumerated producing regions. For a product to qualify as a Geographical Indication, it must satisfy three requirements: a specific geographical region, a defined quality, and a quality attributable essentially to that geographical region.
Specific Geographical Region
The eight coffee-producing regions of Costa Rica constitute the relevant geographical region for the purposes of a GI assessment.
Quality
All coffee produced is from the Arabica species, specifically the Caturra and Catuaí varieties, which produce a high-quality bean and a cup with superior organoleptic characteristics: pleasant, aromatic, and select. The planting of Robusta coffee has been prohibited by law since 1989 on account of its inferior cup quality. Cultivation of Catimores has also been reduced at scale to preserve cup quality.
Quality Attributable to the Geographical Region
The following factors link quality directly to the region:
- Soil and climate: Coffee is grown in volcanic and low-acidic fertile soil, conditions ideal for production.
- Location: More than 80% of the coffee area is located between 800 and 1,600 meters (2,625 feet-5,250 feet) above sea level, at temperatures between 17 and 28°C (62.6°F-82.4°F), with annual precipitation between 2,000 and 3,000 millimeters (79 inches-118 inches).
- People of the area: The manual and selective method of picking is employed: only ripe berries are selected at optimal ripeness, making washing easier. Each Costa Rican coffee region has signed a Quality Improvement Agreement under which owners of processing plants have committed to receiving and processing only ripe fruit, guaranteeing better cup quality.
- Peculiar technique: The Costa Rican coffee sector uses only wet processing, in which the removal of the pulp is carried out on the same day as harvesting. Classification and cleaning, after removing the pulp, is performed before the fermenting process to eliminate residual pulp and remove defective beans.
Processing Methods
The sun-dry method is used in the Costa Rican process — one of the more preferred systems in demanding world markets — and the process lasts 7 days. Mechanical drying is also used, reducing the optimal drying time (12% humidity) to only 24 hours.
Assessment
On the basis of the above factors, the grant of GI status to coffee from the various regions of Costa Rica appears well founded. GI protection constitutes an effective legal instrument for safeguarding the geographical indication from commercial exploitation, particularly given the significant role that coffee trade plays in the Costa Rican economy.
Disclaimer
This article is for general information and does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult a qualified attorney before acting on any matter discussed here.