With the harvest drawing to a close, Costa Rica’s coffee growers have begun separating out the cream of their crops for the Taza de Excelencia (Cup of Excellence) international coffee auction.
Scheduled for May 22, the auction – which takes place online – will pit bidders from Japan, the United States, the European Union and other coffee-consuming regions against each other in a competition for Costa Rica’s finest coffee.
Last year, the top price was $2,135 per 46-pound sack, with the winning bid made by a London company. An average price for that much coffee is about $130, said Arnoldo Leiva, president of Costa Rica’s Fine Coffees Association.
Officials estimate this season’s harvest will be about 6.5% larger than last season’s.
