Junin, Satipo, San Juan Pueblo Libre, Peru

Description

Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera Pangoa is located in central Peru, east of the Andean Mountain range. Established in 1977, Pangoa grew to nearly 1,700 members. Their initial success was due to an internal agreement to set aside 3% of each sale to be invested back into the cooperative. Since their inception, Pangoa has embodied the true meaning behind cooperativism — values and infrastructure built on accountability, democracy and solidarity, values that are still upheld today. In contrast, during the early 1980’s a guerilla group called the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) began a socio-political upheaval that would last more than a decade. Due to warfare, membership decreased by half as some families fled to bigger cities hopeful to find refuge. By 1991, The Shining Path had taken over most of the countryside in central and south Peru.

Today, the coop’s membership has stabilized, ranging from 680-700 active members registered per year. It is the tightly woven community of farmers in collaboration with Pangoa’s leading staff and the Peruvian government that has allowed for this coop’s indivisibility.

Producer Information:

PRODUCER: Pangoa Cooperative

REGION: Junin, Satipo, San Juan Pueblo Libre

ALTITUDE: 1,800 – 2,000 MASL

VARIETY: Caturra, Bourbon, Geisha

PROCESS: Washed, Dried on Raised Beds

Text from Plowshares' listing.