The Venecia coffee variety has its origin in San Carlos, Alajuela, where Mr. Isidro Rodriguez selected out several coffee trees in a coffee plantation of 100% Caturra that demonstrated increased productivity, larger fruit size and increased resistance to fruit drop in the rain.
In 1991, The Coffee Institute of Costa Rica (ICAFE) began studying this coffee, establishing trials in Turrialba, Coto Brus and Pérez Zeledón. These trials showed that in the selection process, the percentage of underweight fruits was reduced and, generally, cherries were more uniform in size and trees showed more uniformity in yields and rates of maturation. The Pérez Zeledón trials, coffee seemed to have prolonged maturation – a beneficial feature for certain environments and of great relevance for cup quality. Special interest was given to the coffee, leading to the release of the Venicia variety in 2010 as a late maturing variety with excellent cup quality.
