El Salvador

El Salvador, the smallest Central American producer, kept much of its old Bourbon stock because farms were left untouched during the 1980s, and about 60 percent of its coffee is still Bourbon. It is the birthplace of the Pacas mutation and the Pacamara hybrid, and nearly all coffee is shade-grown. Cup of Excellence, held there since 2003, renewed interest in its farms.

Arabica Harvesting in November

Production 2026/27
542kbags33k t · USDA PSD
Exports 2026/27
543kbags100% of the harvest
Arabica share
100%
World rank
21of 400.3% of origin output
Area harvested 2024
117khaFAOSTAT
Altitude
500–2,365m

Production and exports

60 kg bags · USDA PSD market years
0500k1000k1500k2000k201020122014201620182020202220242026Production542kExports543kDomestic use339k
0500k1000k1500k2000k’10’20Production542kExports543kDomestic use339k

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

100k120k140k160k180k’10’15’20Area117k

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 in147k
Production542k
Imports272k
Exports543k
Domestic use339k
Stocks carried out79k
Share of the harvest exported100%
Rank among producing origins by exports21 of 37

Where the exports go is not published here. Shipments by destination, including US imports from El Salvador, 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–Sep

    Cafe Imports November-April with May-July arrivals; Mercanta November-March with landings mid-July to September.

Growing regions

6 regions

Varieties, processing and grading

Main varieties

BourbonPacasPacamaraCaturraCatuaí

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 Salvadoreño del Café (ISC)

Character and protected names

Flavour tendencies

Salvadoran Bourbons are known for a clean, sweet cup with bright citrus, while Pacamaras bring a bigger, syrupy body with tropical fruit and a grapefruit-like finish.

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

NameTypeRegisterYear
Apaneca-IlamatepecDenomination of originEl Salvador (national)not published