Coffee is grown in 23 out of Ecuador’s 24 provinces, but Arabica is primarily found in the western foothills of the Andes, South of Guayaquil, and in the hilly areas of Manabi province. Loja, Pichincha, Imbabura, Sucumbios, Orellana, Manabi, and the Galapagos Islands. In the north, especially in regions like Pichincha and Imbabura, there are a lot of professionals from other industries farming coffee. These producers tend to have bigger farms, and are interested in very high-quality coffee, which often includs experimenting with meticulous processing methods and careful lot separation.
Production has fallen significantly in the past 10 years due to low profitability, high cost of production, and other more appealing crops. The cost of labor is considerably more expensive than in neighboring countries. Because of this, many producers need to have a strong focus on quality to match the high costs that will be associated with producing these coffees. When tasting Ecuadors, expect excellence.