The History of Tarrazu Coffee
Before the 19th century, the area now called Tarrazu, or loosely Los Santos, was mostly untouched wilderness – dense forests covering the southeastern region of Costa Rica, with only a few indigenous tribes calling it home.
The story begins in 1825, just four years after Costa Rica gained independence from Spain. José Miguel Cascante requested a land grant from authorities in San José, becoming one of the first settlers in the region. When the Cascante family arrived, they found no buildings or farms – just forest and a narrow oxcart road cutting through the wilderness.
The first proper farm was established in 1827 in what would later become San Marcos. More settlers gradually arrived between 1865 and 1894, bringing with them the family names still common in Tarrazú today: Barboza, Godínez, Mora, Navarro, Parra, Ureña, Valverde, and Zúñiga. Migration peaked between 1895 and 1904, with the highest number of land claims (130) filed in 1896.
The Rise of Coffee
Coffee cultivation began to take hold at the end of the 19th century, quickly replacing traditional crops. The pioneers of coffee production were Juana Jiménez and her son Julio Umaña Jiménez, who processed coffee in a primitive roaster in their home in San Marcos. By 1905, the region had at least two coffee processing plants (beneficios), and by 1907, hydraulic coffee mills were operating in El Rodeo and San Pablo.
Unlike other Central American countries where coffee production led to powerful oligarchies, Costa Rica’s coffee industry was characterized by small-scale landholders working alongside landless laborers. This unique structure would shape Tarrazú’s future development.
The Era of Consolidation
The 1920s and 30s saw the rise of Tobías Umaña Jiménez, who became the region’s most powerful figure. Starting in 1933, he began acquiring beneficios across the region, eventually creating a near-monopoly on coffee processing. By 1950, he owned nearly one thousand hectares, making him the largest landholder in Tarrazú. His business ventures extended beyond coffee to include general stores and moneylending. It is interesting to note that he was interested in control but not the risks involved in ownership. Thus he sold small plots to smallholders which gave him a supply of cherries without carrying the risks of farming and also meant that he did not have to pay workers to farm the land. The positive side of this, is that land ownership was possible for farmers without adequate capital. Admittedly Tobias Jiminez did also earn on the loans he gave and which he administered severely, but the result today is that a number of relatively small farms can produce specialty coffee and be independent.
In 1925, administrative changes split the canton of Tarrazú, with its eastern half becoming the new canton of Dota, centered around Santa María.
Revolution and Renewal
The Costa Rican Civil War of 1948 marked a turning point for the region. In its aftermath, significant improvements came to Tarrazú, including electricity, education, and most importantly, cooperative organizing. As one resident noted, before the revolution “five or six people owned the whole town,” but afterward, opportunities expanded for many more families.
The cooperative movement gained momentum in 1954 when Father Rodrigo Jiménez began promoting the idea from his pulpit. Soon after, Coopetarrazú formed with 228 members, followed by Coopedota in Santa María. These cooperatives broke the monopoly on coffee processing and created new opportunities for farmers. The 1969 Law of Cooperative Associations further strengthened these organizations by providing tax exemptions on imported equipment.
The success of these cooperatives extended beyond coffee. Farmers worked together to bring electricity to San Marcos in 1968, securing both federal aid and funding from the U.S. Alliance for Progress. The region’s first high school also opened in San Marcos, allowing residents to pursue education beyond the sixth grade for the first time.
Tarrazú Today
Today, Tarrazú is internationally renowned for its high-quality coffee. The region produces approximately 650,000 quintals from 22,000 hectares, with most farms averaging just 2.5 hectares in size. About 95% of the coffee is sold as Strictly Hard Bean (SHB), a premium classification.
The area’s success in coffee production comes from perfect growing conditions:
- Acidic soils of sedimentary origin
- Shade-grown cultivation practices
- Clearly defined rainy (May-November) and dry seasons (December-April)
- Harvest season coinciding with dry weather, allowing for uniform ripening and proper sun-drying
What began as a wilderness frontier has transformed into one of the world’s premier coffee regions, where small family farms, cooperatives, and natural advantages combine to produce some of the finest coffee available anywhere.