Costa Rica

Costa Rica produces about one percent of the world's coffee but is a leader in specialty practice through its micro-mill movement, that lets single farms process their own lots and the honey-process vocabulary of white, yellow, red and black honeys. Coffee is grown in eight regions from the Central and West Valleys to Tarrazú and Brunca, almost entirely arabica.

Arabica Harvesting in November

Production 2026/27
1.20Mbags72k t · USDA PSD
Exports 2026/27
1.06Mbags88% of the harvest
Arabica share
100%
World rank
17of 400.6% of origin output
Area harvested 2024
83khaFAOSTAT
Altitude
600–2,200m

Production and exports

60 kg bags · USDA PSD market years
0500k1000k1500k2000k201020122014201620182020202220242026Production1200kExports1060kDomestic use320k
0500k1000k1500k2000k’10’20Production1200kExports1060kDomestic use320k

Market years 2010/11 to 2026/27; the last year is USDA's current estimate. Domestic use is PSD's domestic consumption line.

Area harvested, hectares · FAOSTAT

70k80k90k100k110k’10’15’20Area83k

FAOSTAT crops and livestock products, item green coffee (CC BY 4.0). Values flagged as estimates by FAO are included as published.

Where the coffee goes

Supply and use
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Production, Supply and Distribution (PSD), market years. Supply on the left equals use on the right.
Stocks carried in133k
Production1.20M
Imports115k
Exports1.06M
Domestic use320k
Stocks carried out68k
Share of the harvest exported88%
Rank among producing origins by exports17 of 37

Where the exports go is not published here. Shipments by destination, including US imports from Costa Rica, come from USITC DataWeb and the Census trade API, which need credentials we do not hold yet.

Harvest

Harvest calendar for every origin
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Main cropTypical US arrival

  • Whole country · main cropNov–Mar · US May–Jul

    Cafe Imports December-April, Mercanta October/November-March; both give May-July arrivals.

Growing regions

8 regions

Varieties, processing and grading

Main varieties

CaturraCatuaíVilla SarchíBourbonGeshaSL28

Common processing

Washed (wet, fully washed)Honey process (yellow, red, black)Natural (dry process)

Export grading

Central American and Mexican altitude grades (SHB/HB, SHG/HG, Altura)

ICO certifying agent: Instituto del Café de Costa Rica (ICAFE)

Character and protected names

Flavour tendencies

Costa Rican coffees are usually clean and sweet with bright acidity, and the honey and natural lots from micro-mills add more body and fruit.

General tendencies from importer origin notes, not a promise about any lot. The claims behind them are listed with their sources at the foot of the page.

Geographical indications and protected names

None recorded for Costa Rica.