- In 1843 Coffea Liberica was discovered in Liberia.
- Besides Liberica, Excelsa and Robusta coffees are cultivated commercially on the Atlantic coasts.
- In the past Liberia produced up to 5 % of the world’s coffee supply.
- But the worldwide demand for the mainly cultivated Liberica fell back in favor of Robusta and Arabica.
- The civil war of 1991-2003 also reduced the harvest volume by 86 % and former coffee farms ran wild.
- So only Robusta coffee was exported from the north and the center of Liberia.
- A good thing is, because the fertile soils there was and is no need for chemical fertilizer and it grows organic coffee with good productivity.
- However, there is a lack of investment in the rehabilitation of coffee farms, infrastructure and processing technologies.
- The export volume has declined by 99% since 1990, so today it is cultivated almost exclusively for local consumption.
- Unfortunately, Liberia mainly consumes instant coffee, which is more likely due to poor income than good taste.
