A coa is the traditional harvesting tool used by a jimador to cut leaves from agave plants for tequila production.
The coa has a long handle and a rounded, sharply edged blade. Workers use it to remove the agave’s spiky leaves and expose the piña, the plant’s heart that is transported to a distillery. The word is closely associated with the manual labor and specialized knowledge of agave cultivation in western Mexico.
A coa is not the same as a machete, although both are cutting tools. The coa’s broad, circular blade is especially suited to trimming agave close to the ground and shaping the harvested plant. After the leaves are removed, the piña is cooked, crushed, fermented, and distilled.
Modern machinery is used in some operations, but the coa remains an important symbol of traditional tequila production and the jimador’s craft.