The climatic belt marked by a warm-humid climate and lying between the Tropic of Cancer (to the north) and the Tropic of Capricorn (to the south) encloses the main coffee producing countries, ...
... which can, in turn, be divided up into four main geographic areas:
1. Central America where washed Arabica coffee is the main produce, with just a small part devoted to Robusta (Guatemala);
2. South America within which we find the largest coffee producer in the world: Brazil, where mainly natural Arabica coffee is cultivated, the other countries cultivate mainly washed Arabica coffee;
3. Africa, where we find Robusta coffee in the central-west area, and Arabica in the central-east area; and
4. Asia, where both Arabica and Robusta coffee are cultivated in India, Indonesia and New Guinea, and only Robusta in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Coffee is in a leading position in the world economy of raw materials, just behind oil, steel and wheat. Arabica coffees represent approximately 65/70% of the market, and Robusta, 35/30%. The main markets are:
- the New York stock exchange, where Arabica is exchanged; and
- the London stock exchange, where Robusta is exchanged.
