Coffee production in Puerto Rico

[3] Coffee was first introduced to Puerto Rico in 1736[4] as a minor cash crop during Spanish colonial rule from nearby Martinique, and was mostly consumed locally.

[5] This rapid rise in the quantity and quality of coffee produced in the island is attributed to immigrants from Europe who brought their expertise to bear on its growth.

[1] In 1898, the United States obtained the island from Spain, and it subsequently saw a decline in coffee production, as emphasis was placed more on growing sugar cane commercially.

[2] The island's coffee producing areas are spread throughout Puerto Rico, lying at an elevation range of 2,400–2,780 feet (730–850 m) in the western central mountainous terrain extending from Rincón to Orocovis.

[3] The main areas which produce coffee are in the municipalities of Yauco, Puerto Rico, Adjuntas, San Sebastián, Lares and Las Marías in the northwestern central part of the country.