In southern Mexico, where the country narrows and turns to the east, some really great coffee grows. On the southern slope of the Sierra de Oaxaca range, gazing out on the blue, blue Pacific, is the home of the Oaxaca coffee growing region. Farmers here typically own less than 2 hectares (4.4 acres), and the 2-6 bags of coffee they grow annually is often their only cash crop. Many growers in Oaxaca belong to indigenous people groups and cultures, and this has been key in their embrace of traditional growing techniques and organic practices.
Oaxacan coffees, also marketed under the label “Oaxaca Pluma,” are highly regarded in the coffee industry for their flavor and quality. Farmers here organize coffee cooperatives in order to pool their resources. Doing so not only gives them better access to financing options to improve their operations, it also helps them create more presence in the marketplace with importers so they can receive fair prices for their coffees.