Ayutepeque is a farm located on the slopes of the Santa Ana volcano, also known as Ilamatepec in Nahuatl (an Uto-Aztecan language). It is situated in the volcanic terroir just below El Manzano at an altitude of between 1,000 and 1,100 metres and covers 153 hectares. This farm was founded in 1840 and has been managed by the same family for six generations, now producing Pacamara, Pacas, and Red Bourbon varietals.
About
The farm in detail
Total number of hectares
153 Altitude
1000-1100 Environment
Volcanic Shady
No shade trees but wind barrier
Santa Ana’s department is one of the fundamental pillars of coffee production in El Salvador. It represents approximately 33% of national production, making it the country's leading producer, surpassing other coffee – growing departments such as Ahuachapán and Sonsonate. Furthermore, it is home to 21% of all salvadorian coffee producers, reflecting not only a high concentration of farms but also a strong coffee – growing tradition.
Historically, Santa Ana was the economic engine of the western world during the golden age of coffee (late 19th and early 20th centuries), driving the development of infrastructure, commerce, and employment. The city grew thanks to the coffee boom, becoming a national benchmark for its economic dynamism.
Nowadays, Santa Ana continues to stand out for its specialty coffee potential and organizational capacity. Its importance is not only economic but also cultural and social, making it a key region for the revitalization of salvadorian coffee growing.
The Apaneca – Ilamatepec mountain range, located in western El Salvador, is one of the most important coffee-growing regions in the country. It accounts for approximately 60% of the country's coffee production, thanks to its fertile, volcanic soils and favorable climate for the development and production of specialty coffee. This region is home to approximately 78,000 hectares of coffee plantations, distributed across the departments of Ahuachapán, Sonsonate, and Santa Ana. Economically, this mountain range generates thousands of direct and indirect jobs, from nursery planting to the wet & dry processing to the final bean preparation.
The Apaneca – Ilamatepec mountain range is also home to a rich biodiversity, with cloud forests that protect endemic species of flora and fauna, in addition to recharging aquifers and mitigating climate change, serving as an important green lung and ecological corridor in the region.
