Mexico FEDECOS Fairtrade Organic comes to us from Soconusco. This region is in the southwest corner of Chiapas along the Guatemalan border. The narrow stretch of land lies between the Sierra Madre de Chiapas mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Abundant moisture and volcanic soil make the area ideal for coffee cultivation.
Mexico FEDECOS Fairtrade Organic is grown here at 600 – 1,900 meters above sea level by members of Federación de Societies Cooperativas Cafetaleras, Costa Soconusco del Estado de Chiapas (FEDECOS). At the present time FEDECOS represents 708 producers growing coffee on 2,276 hectares of land in Pijijiapan, Tuzantan, Tapachula, Huixtla, Huehuetan, and Cacahoatan. Their coffee is machine pulped, fully washed, and sun dried on patios.
About FEDECOS
Federación de Societies Cooperativas Cafetaleras, Costa Soconusco del Estado de Chiapas (FEDECOS) was founded in 2016. Ten local cooperatives from seven municipalities along the Pacific Coast of Chiapas united in response to damages caused by hurricane Wilma. Collectively FEDECOS awards visibility for exports, thanks to a system of traceability and support for exemplary producers.
The Federation’s main focus has been to encourage producers to cultivate coffee with Fairtrade practices. Collectively they now sell their coffee with Organic, Fairtrade, and 4C Certification. As a result, the social premiums obtained have allowed them to develop production projects. Notably, infrastructure improvements such as building drying patios and fermentation tanks, and acquiring new pulping machines and a warehouse for coffee storage. Equally important, they are able to purchase office equipment, deliver production tools to farmers, develop their nurseries, and regularly train producers and technicians.
Presently FEDECOS is utilizing premiums to finance plantation renovations with rust resistant varieties. They have also set up the production of vermicompost from local cattle farm manure. All in all, 60 tons of compost are produced per year and redistributed free of charge to members of FEDECOS cooperatives. All together these special projects boost coffee quality and cumulatively improve the livelihood of cooperative members.
