Piura, Peru: Carmen de la Frontera
Origin Profile
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Country: Peru
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Region: Piura
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Province: Huancabamba
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District: Carmen de la Frontera
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Community: Carmen de la Frontera
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Altitude: 1,600–2,000 meters
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Farm Area: 1–2 hectares on average per producer
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Variety: Caturra, Bourbon, Typica, and Catimor
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Process: Washed
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Fermentation: 30–32 hours in plastic bags, plastic bins, or wooden tanks
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Drying: 15–18 days on drying beds
About the Region
Carmen de la Frontera is a remote district in the Huancabamba province of Peru's Piura region, bordering both Cajamarca and Ecuador. This area is known for its dramatic variations in altitude, climate, and terrain. At higher elevations (around 3,000 meters), the landscape is defined by cold moors and cloud forests, suitable only for crops like potatoes. Just two hours north, near the Ecuadorian border, the environment changes to a tropical, dense area known as the Selva Alta ("high forest"), where coffee and sugar cane are cultivated. The district is also part of the Chicuate-Chinguelas conservation area, home to endangered species such as the Andean cock-of-the-rock and the spectacled bear.
Challenges and Community
Reaching Carmen de la Frontera is a significant challenge, requiring an 8.5-hour drive from the city of Piura, with the final 5.5 hours on a poorly maintained dirt road. Until recently, this single road was the only way in, and most coffee producers sold their harvests to local traders. However, a new road connecting the district to Namballe in Cajamarca has opened up access to new markets in the nearby coffee hub of San Ignacio.
Farmers in this region face significant production challenges. Their remote farms lack electricity, so they must depulp coffee by hand—a laborious process. Rain is another major obstacle, particularly from January to April. During the harvest season (July–August), rain is frequent, and most farms lack specialized parabolic dryers. Instead, producers dry their coffee on wooden planks inside their homes and move it outside onto tarps when the sun is out, a process that poses risks to quality.
Fertilizer use varies, with some producers applying compost made from coffee pulp, guinea pig, and goat manure. On average, they produce about 25 parchment bags (55.2 kg each) per hectare. After on-farm processing and drying, the coffee is transported to community centers by mule, horse, or on the farmers' backs.
In addition to coffee, most producers grow sugar cane to make panela (a solid form of cane sugar) and cañazo (a sugar cane liquor), though limited market access keeps sales minimal. The region’s local governance is overseen by "rondas campesinas," autonomous peasant patrol groups that monitor community activities.
Piura represents a distinctive new origin for Red Fox, with strong potential for growth thanks to the dedication of producers committed to achieving the highest possible quality.
