~Travel Friends & Friends Costa Rica 12~

Coffee is the number one reason Costa Rica has a large prosperous middle class. Farmers were given property with the agreement that they would grow coffee on it to sell. Currently, Starbucks is the largest purchaser of Costa Rican Coffee. They do not produce decaffeinated coffee,, but ship all of the beans to Germany who processes them and returns the beans at no cost to Costa Rica. Germany then sales the caffeinated water from processing the beans to Pepsi, Coca Cola, Jolt and others. When a family made enough money to own more than one cart, they painted one and used it for pleasure, as sign to their neighbors that they were doing well.

 

Road to San Jose and Doka Coffee Plantation