Coffee Bean Belt: The coffee bean belt is an area limited between 23.5 degrees north and south latitude, with natural conditions suitable for coffee cultivation. This ‘imaginary’ belt between the planet lies on the equator and passes through about 70 countries, whose tropical climates provide the perfect rich environment for coffee growing.
Coffee belt – Limits the place where coffee trees can grow.
The coffee belt crosses five continents, namely South America, North America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. However, Oceania produces very little coffee compared to the other four continents. Of the 70 countries the coffee belt passes through, only about 40 have coffee in significant quantities.
The Principle Of The Coffee Belt
There are everyday biological needs common to all plants. The elements necessary for plant growth are sun, water, soil, and air. Coffee is similar; these four elements work together to provide the coffee plant with the energy and nutrients it needs.
Coffee plants need some particular conditions to survive and grow, and this is where the coffee belt comes in:
- There is enough rain with a pronounced dry season.
- The climate has moderately sunny days with stable and cool temperatures.
- There is enough height for the coffee plant to thrive.
- The land is fertile for coffee trees.
Although growing conditions are similar across countries in the coffee belt, variations in soil, temperature, rainfall, and altitude significantly affect the flavor of coffee plants’ beans. Just like wine, the taste of one coffee can even differ greatly from another coffee produced on a neighboring farm.
However, it should be noted that coffee can grow outside the coffee belt; it won’t guarantee the essential elements needed for the coffee plant.
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