Guatemalan Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Julio Orozco yesterday promoted his country’s coffee beans at a coffee tasting event in Taipei, saying that a closer commercial bond between the two allies would help to enhance diplomatic ties.
In a prerecorded video message, Orozco said that coffee is the “second-most requested Guatemalan product by the Taiwanese after sugar” and he is confident that demand would continue to grow.
“Our country has eight coffee growing regions, where coffee is cultivated with care, benefiting from 37 impressive volcanoes, a privileged climate and more than 360 microclimates that contribute to its uniqueness and high quality,” Orozco said.
Photo: CNA
In Taiwan, Guatemalan coffee from the regions of Huehuetenango and Antigua are the most highly valued, and he hoped that the tasting event featuring 25 varieties of the best Guatemalan coffee beans would help Taiwanese explore other options, Orozco said.
“With more than 125,000 coffee producers in Guatemala, every purchase of our coffee contributes to the livelihood of our families,” he said.
“We firmly believe that by strengthening commercial bonds with products of the highest quality, we contribute to the continued growth of this friendship,” Orozco said.
The tasting event was co-organized by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government-funded Central America Trade Office, the Guatemalan embassy in Taiwan, the Guatemalan National Coffee Association and the Taiwan Coffee Association.
Data show that Taiwanese consume 2.85 billion cups of coffee annually, which means an average of 122 cups a year per person, Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Deputy Director-General Francisco Chang (張自信) said at the event
This huge demand shows that coffee is a necessity for people in Taiwan, he said.
“We can further enhance our trade and economic relations with Guatemala in this area,” he added.
Importing Guatemalan coffee is important for Taiwan’s diplomatic ally as China last month banned imports of coffee and macadamia nuts from the Central American country without explanation.
Among Taiwan’s 12 diplomatic allies Guatemala and Belize are the only two in Central America.
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