Slight Increase in Coffee Production and Exports in Colombia in September

The coffee production in Colombia, the world’s leading supplier of washed arabica, saw a year-on-year increase of 1.8% in September, reaching 849,000 60-kilogram sacks. This is attributed to improved weather conditions with a slight reduction in rainfall, as reported by the National Federation of Coffee Growers on Wednesday.

In September 2022, the country’s coffee harvest reached 834,000 sacks. However, this year’s production in the same month fell below the 872,000 sacks recorded in August.

On the other hand, Colombian coffee exports in September rose by 1.3%, reaching 827,000 60-kilogram sacks, compared to the same month the previous year, when 816,000 sacks were shipped abroad. However, there was a decrease compared to the 814,000 sacks from last August.

From January to September, coffee production in Colombia accumulated a 5.7% reduction, amounting to 7.68 million sacks. At the same time, exports decreased by 12.7%, reaching 7.48 million sacks, compared to the same period the previous year.

The Federation stated in a release: ‘As has happened in the past two years, the La Niña phenomenon has affected the flowering of coffee plants, reducing production and, consequently, grain exports.’ La Niña leads to increased rainfall and cloudiness, impacting the flowering of coffee plants and reducing productivity.

In the last 12 months, Colombia’s coffee harvest decreased by 9.11%, reaching 10.6 million sacks, and exports dropped by 13%, totaling 10.3 million sacks. Colombia, the third-largest global producer after Brazil and Vietnam, has an annual production capacity of approximately 14 million sacks.

The South American country, known for its smooth and high-quality coffees, has 840,000 hectares of coffee plantations, and around 540,000 families depend on this activity. Colombia’s coffee harvest experienced a 12% decline in 2022, reaching 11.08 million 60-kilogram sacks, the lowest figure since 2013, marking its third consecutive annual drop due to persistent rains caused by the La Niña phenomenon, which delayed flowering and production.

Published by Iraic.info, a news and information agency.