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Matas de Minas: tradition, family agriculture and sustainability

by May 31, 2023Fine Cup0 comments

Also known as the ‘Zona da Mata’, Matas de Minas is a traditional coffee producing region, a pioneer in the production of artisanal coffees – when there is more human involvement during the growing, harvesting, and post-harvesting stages.

Located in Minas Gerais, in an area of Atlantic Forest, the Matas de Minas region is formed by 64 municipalities, surrounded by mountains and with altitudes ranging from 600 to 1,300 meters. In addition, its irregular topography demands a less mechanized management from the coffee grower, contributing to the artisanal production of the region.

Uniting tradition with technological advances in coffee growing, producers harvest coffees with diversified nuances and flavors, winning prestigious national and international awards.

Flavors that spread around the world

Matas de Minas is an important producer of rio-profile, which has a remarkable and characteristic flavor, part of the culture and tradition of many countries, especially Eastern Europe, Argentina, and the Middle East. This is due to the humidity of the region, which directly impacts the flavor of the beans, resulting in rio and riados cups.

Despite this, many coffee growers in the region have specialized in the production of superior and specialty coffees thanks to the implementation of humidity-adapted post-harvest processes. These advances have expanded the possibilities for coffee in Matas de Minas, which currently stands out in the production of beans with more complex flavors.

Even the production of coffee in the region relies heavily on family farming and manual harvesting, resulting in a significant environmental, economic, and social impact.

It is also in this region that Atlantica started the Project Mutua – Forests and Spring, an action that promotes sustainable implementations in coffee farms, focusing on the planting of native forest and the recovery of water springs. In this project, there is no cost for the coffee grower, reinforcing Atlantica’s commitment to sustainability in the coffee chain.

Union to boost the local economy

Matas de Minas has a production area of 275 thousand hectares and 36 thousand coffee growers in the region. Surprisingly, 80% of these producers cultivate less than 20 hectares each. But the impact of these small farmers goes far beyond their size, as they are responsible for driving the local economy. Collectively, they generate an impressive 75,000 direct jobs and 156,000 indirect jobs in their municipalities, promoting the region’s development and fostering Brazil’s coffee production. This is an undeniable proof that the coffee from Matas de Minas not only captivates the palate of coffee lovers, but also strengthens entire communities.

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