Catimor

Catimor is not a single variety but a broad family of cultivars descended from a cross between the Timor Hybrid and Caturra, first developed in Portugal from the late 1950s as coffee producing regions searched for a response to devastating leaf rust epidemics. The cross combined Caturra's compact stature and productivity with the Timor Hybrid's robusta derived disease resistance. Catimor lines were subsequently bred and released by national research institutes across Latin America and Asia, including in Brazil, Colombia, India and Vietnam, and are now widely planted for their high yield and strong rust resistance. Cup quality has historically been considered inferior to traditional Bourbon and Typica derived varieties, though modern Catimor selections have narrowed that gap considerably.