Coffee is originated from Ethiopia (Africa). It spread from that region through the Moors. Coffee was finally brought to Puerto Rico in 1736, along with the enslaved labor needed to work in the fields. It was not a very popular crop at first, and a series of difficulties (both natural and man-made) made other crops more profitable. Over time, the quality of coffee improved, and the world's taste changed, making coffee a desirable crop.
Puerto Rico's coffee production became a major economic boom for the island. However, life in the mountains was tough; picking coffee is hard work, and jobs were easier to find in the cities. In more recent history, Puerto Rican companies had to comply with labor laws, and coffee cultivation became less profitable.
Today, much of the coffee harvest is not picked because there aren't enough workers willing to work in the fields. The demand for coffee from the island currently exceeds its production, which requires importing coffee beans (and inevitably, coffee pests). These new pests are further reducing coffee production on the island.
Since the demand for Puerto Rican coffee exceeds local production, most beans in regular "Puerto Rican" coffee brands are imported from other countries and mixed with a certain percentage of Puerto Rican beans. Check the label before purchasing regular-grade coffee products: unless it says 100% Puerto Rican coffee beans, it is most likely not 100% locally grown coffee.
