Municipality of La Asunta exports its first coffee production to France

La Paz, November 12, 2020 (United Nations) .- Through technical assistance from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the support of the French government, the Municipality of La Asunta (in the Yungas of La Paz, Bolivia) exported its first production of high-quality coffee for the French, Belgian and Swiss markets. In total, 207 bags were shipped weighing 12,420 kilograms.

This is the result of a technical work which started in 2018 with the support of France (MILDECA), that reactivates coffee exports after 15 years. In 2019, French businessmen, alongside government authorities and UNODC officials, visited the municipality of La Asunta. They were pleased with the quality of the  bean and the selected crop fields. On that occasion, the Municipal Autonomous Government declared Jean-Pierre Blanc and Jean-Christophe Galland guests of honor; In addition, a meeting was held with producers and social organizations.

After the businessmen's visit to the municipality of La Asunta, the UNODC Representative in Bolivia, Thierry Rostan, said that the visitors also learned about the living conditions of the inhabitants of this municipality, the shortcomings they have, and the opportunities for socioeconomic development that are necessary to boost the growth of this region and the productivity of coffee.

600 families from the municipality of La Asunta work together with UNODC with the objective of completing the planting of 700 hectares of high quality coffee and other food security crops, replacing surplus coca plantations and diversifying the local economy. This joint effort had the purpose of exporting 20 high quality coffee containers annually to Europe in the next 5 years. The goal of this project is to improve the quality of life of coffee producers with fair and sustainable income in a climate of social peace.

Malongo is a Nice-based company. It processes the roasting of more than 8,000 tons of coffee per year, from different continents. This company is recognized for its growth and innovation. It markets high quality coffee varieties (gourmet coffees) in hotels, restaurants and supermarkets in France and exports through its "Les Malongo Cafés" stores to other European countries, and it stands out as the first coffee roasting company to offer its product in vacuum-sealed metal containers, which guarantees the preservation and presentation of one of the most sophisticated and unique coffees in the world.

The French firm is also marketing coffee produced in Myanmar, within the framework of the UNODC Global Program for Alternative Development, with the new range of coffee called Shan Mountain Coffee.