Mandaguari producers seek the first DO for Paraná coffee

In Mandaguari, in the northwest of Paraná, coffee is more than a drink enjoyed pure or in harmony with sweet or savory dishes. The grain is part of the history of the municipality that, even after the frost of 1975, which devastated crops in Paraná, continued cultivation and became a reference in the production of quality seeds in the State.

Now, grain producers have taken a big step towards gaining “celebrity” status among coffees in Brazil. This is because, this week, the protocol to obtain the Geographical Indication (GI) for “Café de Mandaguari” was deposited with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI).

The request is for the coffee to be recognized with the GI by Denomination of Origin (DO), the first in Paraná for specialty coffees in this modality - according to the INPI, the DO designates “product or service whose qualities or characteristics are due exclusively or essentially to the geographical environment, including natural and human factors”.

The expectation is that the process, from INPI analysis to concession, will take less than a year. The 45 producers that make up the Mandaguari Coffee Producers Association (Cafeman) hope to become more competitive, negotiate bags of coffee at higher prices and open up export possibilities. Initially, seven farmers are able to adopt the distinctive sign of the GI “Café de Mandaguari” immediately after approval, but the tendency is for more producers to adopt the practices of the Technical Specifications Booklet to take advantage of the advantages of the GI.

Coffee growers from six municipalities, which represent around 200 producing properties, can qualify to receive the GI: Mandaguari, Marialva, Jandaia do Sul, Apucarana, Cambira and Arapongas. The region has purple earth, the result of the decomposition of basalt rocks, rich in nutrients, such as iron. It is crossed by the Tropic of Capricorn, which provides thermal balance, with cold nights and hot days, and has, for the most part, family coffee production.

In Mandaguari alone there are around 630 hectares of planted area, with the average annual production being around 850,5 tons – among the main varieties are Icatu Vermelho, Catuaí Vermelho, Mundo Novo, IPR 106 and IPR 107. Quality of the beans stands out for its dense consistency and fruity flavor, with notes of chocolate and caramel, as well as a typical balanced acidity, factors linked to the region. In addition, the product boasts quality awards in competitions such as Café Qualidade Paraná 2021 and the Sixth National ABIC Coffee Quality Competition.

“Bacteria found in crops in Mandaguari do not consume the sugar in the beans, maintaining the sweetness of the drink, which is a difference in relation to coffees from other regions of Brazil. Furthermore, in our municipality and the surrounding area, these bacteria do not alter other sensory characteristics, maintaining the characteristics of each variety”, explains Fernando Rosseto, producer and president of Cafeman.

Mobilization

The work to search for the GI began in February 2022, when Sebrae/PR began raising awareness among local agents and producers to form a new association for the class.

Throughout 2022 and 2023, several events, meetings, meetings were held, both to organize producers towards the search for GI and to train the group, in order to maintain or increase the quality of their productions.

“The filing of the DO request, the first in Paraná for specialty coffees, crowns the collective effort. The product will have more visibility, notoriety and added value for new businesses in the region”, comments Sebrae/PR consultant, Luiz Carlos da Silva.

The mayor of Mandaguari, Ivonéia Furtado, highlights that the DO will be a source of pride for the municipality. “We are proud to have in our city and region the first request for a Denomination of Origin for specialty coffees in our State. This demonstrates the greatness of our city and our farmers and citizens,” she comments.