Guinea
Guinea is located in West Africa on the Atlantic Ocean. The coastal plains are lined with mangrove swamps, while inland the Fouta Djallon Mountains and large areas of plateau dominate. To the east are savannah plains drained by the upper Niger River system, while the southeast is mountainous. The climate is tropical with high levels of coastal rainfall.
Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country possesses over 30% of the world’s bauxite reserves and is the second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in 1999. Agriculture remains the principal occupation, while coffee, bananas, and pineapples are the chief cash crops. Bauxite, alumina, iron ore, gold and diamonds are the main exports, but Guinea relies upon foreign aid. Little coffee is actually produced within Guinea, and exports comprise largely of coffee originating in neighbouring Ivory Coast.
Type of coffee – Robusta (small quantities of Arabica and Liberica)
Main Regions – Coffee produced in the South, along the border with Liberia and Ivory Coast
Marketing System – A government monopoly on exports of coffee and other commodities was declared in 2003 and is still in force
Process – Washed, Natural
Harvest Season – Year – round (shipments February – October)
Port of Shipment – Conakry
Cupping Characteristics – Standard Robusta
