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Kotowa Farm

The farm, founded by Ricardo Koyner MacIntyre, a Canadian politician, in 1918. At that time, tired of political turmoil and dreaming of a new life, he saw a newspaper report on the renowned coffee region in Panama named Boquete and became interested.

Immediately he traveled to the region and became enchanted by the refreshing climate and panoramic expanse at the foot of mysterious Baru Volcano. He then immigrated and started growing coffee.

There was no commercially available electricity in Boquete then. He built a coffee processing mill run by his own hydroelectric power from the ample water running from Baru Volcanic. This supported entirely natural cultivation--from growing to processing and drying.

Today the 4th-generation owner, Ricardo Koyner, operates his coffee production in this passed-down tradition, supplemented by modern agronomical techniques. He graduated from Samorano Agricultural School in Honduras, one of the most prestigious schools in Central America. He obtained a BS in Agriculture at the University of Florida, and went on to receive an MS in environmental development and a MBA at the same university.

This Estate’s well-known coffee is a culmination of the rich Baru Volcano natural landscape, supported by conservation, biological diversity and partnership with local indigenous people.

A Fateful Encounter at Katowa

Katowa, means mountain range, a word from the Ngobe Tribe of Indios. The farm’s owner, Ricado Koyner, and Jose have known each other since 1998, when Panamanian coffee had not been fully recognized. Jose was in Hawaii involved in the cultivation of Kona coffee and met Ricardo Koyner who was studying at University of Hawaii. They have kept in touch thanks to international coffee conventions.

In 2006 at last, Jose had the opportunity to visit Katowa Farm. Ricardo’s farm was a marvel: he had selected coffee trees in harmony with the agronomical environment, instead of the most popular species. His Tipica, a clutivar of Arabica, is famous and commands a high reputation in the United States coffee market.

A big surprise awaited Jose when he walked to the farm’s higher location. Conventionally Caturra, a cultivar of Arabica, was believed to be good for mid- to low-land cultivation. Caturra trees came into view at the altitude of 1,700 meters (5,576 feet). Near the Caturra trees were shade trees to protect the coffee trees from strong sunlight.

This section called Vogo, a word from the Ngobe Tribe language., means the tip of an arrow and connotes a small but important place. Ricardo was right in identifying Caturra as the most suitable species for this small but important place.

Jose did not have much interest in Caturra until then, but his encounter with this farm changed his mind.

The total crop of Katowa is 2,000 bags, 12 metric tons (24,500 lbs) annually. The crop harvested and imported to Japan by air from Vogo as Gran Cru Cafe accounted for 0.8% of the Katowa’s total crop in 2008.