Duvel Castro, Colombia | Washed - MUK-6825

In the 1950s, in the municipality of Riosucio Caldas, as in all Colombian coffee-producing municipalities, coffee farmers were dissatisfied with the exploitation they suffered at the hands of intermediary grain buyers. It was then that a group of coffee farmers, guided by the Cooperative Development Department of the Caldas Departmental Coffee Committee, called 255 farmers to the Constituent Assembly, which was held at the warehouses of the National Federation of Coffee Growers in Riosucio at 10:30 a.m. on June 29, 1963. Founding members included coffee farmers of different social, cultural, and religious backgrounds, some of whom led activities for the benefit of the cooperative.

On March 4, 1964, the Coffee Farmers' Cooperative began providing direct services in Riosucio, including coffee purchase, credit section, and agricultural provision.

Today, it has 2,635 members distributed across 171 villages located in the Department of Caldas in the municipalities of Rio Sucio, Supia, Marmato, and Quinchia in the Department of Risaralda. The staff consists of 64 employees who work with commitment and dedication to provide appropriate service to all members at the seven purchase points.

98% of coffee farmers are small-scale producers, which means that labour is provided by their families. Through their work, members have succeeded in positioning specialty coffee in the national and international markets due to its quality and sensory attributes of the cup, standing out for efficient marketing and different specialty coffee programs such as Fairtrade, C.A.F.E PRACTICES, La Vereda, Nespresso, Organic Coffee, and Rainforest.

Duvel Danir Castano has been growing coffee for 70 years and he owns his small 2.37 ha farm that is planted with Castillo. The farm is named El Rocio in the Vereda of El Tirge in Rio Sucio. The farm has approximately 12000 trees. He is a member of the Alto Occidente Cooperative.

With this coffee he placed first in a local competition (Caldas High Quality Auction) with this small 124kgs of parchment lot. The coffee is picked and then fermented for 14 hours before it is then dried in a 'Casa Elda' (sliding roof of the house to open space for the coffee).