SITIO PONTE ALTA

FATIMA CILENE OLIVEIRA LAMI

7.

Sítio Ponte Alta is located in Conceição das Pedras, Minas Gerais, within the Mantiqueira de Minas region, at altitudes ranging from 1,160 to 1,190 meters. Its climate and soil exist in perfect harmony with the production of specialty coffee.

Coffee cultivation began over 60 years ago with Mr. Chico and his wife. In 2015, after Mr. Chico’s passing, coffee production came to a halt. In 2019, the five daughters decided to revive the coffee fields and invited an agronomist to assess the plantation. There, in the middle of the field, when asked if the crop could be recovered, the agronomist replied: “The coffee trees are in such poor condition that fixing them will be easy,” and added, “But do you really want to keep producing coffee? It’s a lot of work!” The answer was a firm yes.

In 2020, by improving post-harvest handling during patio drying, the farm produced its first specialty coffee, scoring 85 points. Despite low yields, 3,000 trees were uprooted, leaving 2,260, and organomineral fertilization began. The first harvest was carried out entirely under agronomic guidance.

By 2023, chemical inputs had been replaced with sustainable practices through regenerative fertilization — including cover crops, biofertilizers, and efficient microorganisms. That year, the Arara variety scored 88.86 points, earning 7th place in the 2024 COCARIVE Competition in the Natural category. In 2024, the farm also achieved Certifica Minas Café (CMC) certification.

Harvesting is done manually, drying takes place on patios, and coffee grading and classification are conducted by COCARIVE.