A new variety of coffeee called Geisha Natural participated for the first time in "Best of Panama" competition, and reached the highest price in the auction.
The coffee from the Don Pachi State farm was sold at $111.50 a pound.
A total of 30 lots of specialty coffee were traded totaling $176,837.
Francisco Serracín owner of the Don Pachi State Farm, told Prensa.com, "there were 30 lots in the auction, 25 washed coffees and five natural ones, the latter were produced using a new method that was introduced this year."
Lots of coffee from 30 plantations will compete in this year's auction entitled ‘The Best of Panama 2011’.
Buyers from U.S., Japan, Australia, Taiwan and Europe among others, will participate in the on-line auction on May 24, 2011, said Francisco Serracín, of the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama.
An article in Prensa.com explained "The auction will be divided into two categories: natural and washed.
The flavor and aroma of Geisha coffee took the top two positions in the XII version of the "Best of Panama 2009" tasting.
First place went to the Hacienda La Esmeralda, owned by the Peterson family and second place went to Carleida Farm, owned by Carlos Santiago.
Raul Lopez wrote in la Estrella.com.pa: "The third place went to the Pacamara variety, produced on the Gea Burnesky farm belonging to Gonzalo Rojas, who explained that this variety was brought from El Salvador. Fourth place went to a mixture of Caturra A and Typica from the Paso Ancho Farm owned by the Franceshi Aguilera family, while fifth place went to Lamastus Family Estates, which presented a Catuai sample.
Thirty samples of the best coffee from Chiriqui will participate in the "Best of Panama 2009" fine coffee tasting, from May 7 to 9.
The event was organized by the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama, with the participation of 15 international tasters from the United States, Norway, Holland and Costa Rica.
A Pa-digital.com.pa article reported: "The purpose of this event is to choose the best-tasting specialty coffee from Panama, which in turn will participate in an international auction via Internet on May 28."
Coffee production has been dropping in the last five years due to the lack of labor, attacks by a fungus due to humidity, and the lack of improved farm management.
The president of the Special Association of Coffee in Panama, Ricardo Koyner, forecasted a production of between 10% and 20% below last year's figure due to climatic effects.
Part of the decrease in production is as a result of the sale of land that was previously used for coffee farming, and because this year the climate was not favorable for coffee production, pointed out Ricardo Duran, Market Manager at Cafe Duran.
During the twelfth edition of the event "The Best of Panama" last week, the lot of Geisha coffee from the Carlos Castillo finca was declared winner out of 16 entries, Francisco Serracín of the Association of Special Panamanian Coffees reported today.
Judges scored the winning entry at 93 out of 100 possible points.
Last year's winning entry was sold for 130 dollars per pound (460 grams).