El Trapiche Tour

Sugarcane in Costa Rica

Sugarcane is a poacea plant that originated in Polynesia and its presence was reported in China and India in the year 800 B.C. Via the invasions of Persia, Egypt, The coasts of Africa and the Mediterranean sugarcane and other products were transported until eventually arriving in Spain.

Coffee in Costa Rica

The year 1723 is the presumed date of the arrival of coffee to the Americas when the first plants were introduced to Martinique Island. These coffee plants came from the Antilles islands and from there came the first coffee plants that were planted in Costa Rica during the middle of the 18th century.

Historically, Father Feliz Velarde is known as the first coffee cultivator in Costa Rica. In 1816 wrote in his will that he had a plot of land where he had planted coffee. According to the story, he distributed coffee seeds amongst his neighbors and encouraged them to plant them.

From 1830 to 1840 Don Mariano Montealegre was one of the principal promoters of the cultivation of coffee. In addition, two Costa Rican presidents Don Juan Mora Fernandez and Dr. Braulio Carrillo helped support the development of coffee. They noticed that the production of coffee had the capability of generating great economic growth that could benefit the Costa Rican people and with this observation coffee production in Costa Rica continued during the following years. During this time coffee was converted into a product that granted Costa Rica much economic development.