Colombian production at highest level since 2007

The Colombian coffee industry’s recovery from the leaf rust outbreak is continuing, with the country producing 10.3 million 60-kilogram bags in the past 12 months, according to the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC). Exports have grown in tandem with the increase in production, with sales increasing by 26 per cent in the past 12 months to reach 9.1 million 60-kilogram bags. The FNC said that 35 per cent of exports were sold in higher value segments, while more than 164,000 coffee growers are tied to a sustainability protocols such as 4C, UTZ, Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade (Flo) or C.A.F.E Practices. It is expected that 50 per cent of exports by the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation in 2013 will be specialty coffees; compared to just 19 percent in 2006.  So far this year Colombia’s harvest stands at around 8.6 million bags, a 43 per cent increase on the 6.1 million bags produced in the same period last year. In fact, in the first ten months of 2013 production has already surpassed the total production in 2012 of 7.7 million bags.