BOGOTA – Colombia, the world´s leading producer of mild washed Arabica coffee, had outstanding results during 2013. With coffee production increasing 41% by reaching a total of 10.9 million 60 kilo coffee bags, the country registered the highest annual growth of the past 36 years.
This encouraging outcome was the result of the successful renovation program implemented by the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) which has increased productivity and plant health.
Colombia intensified its coffee crop renovation programs as a response to the Niña Phenomenon.
Over the past five years the country has renovated 2,800 million coffee trees augmenting the plants´ productive capacity, reducing their average age, and increasing crop density.
Besides increasing coffee production and productivity rates and boosting the Agriculture GDP, these structural changes retrieved Colombia´s historical production levels granting it the third position among coffee producing countries.
“2013 was a year full of challenges and significant achievements for the Colombian coffee industry. Recovering productivity was crucial because it fostered competitiveness.
Luis G. Muñoz We expect average productivity to keep increasing during 2014 in order to help offset the uncertain outlook of international prices,” stated Luis G. Muñoz, CEO of the FNC.
In addition to rising productivity, coffee exports increased 35% reaching 9.7 million 60 kilo bags.
As a result of the mounting global demand for high quality coffee and the difficulties faced by other coffee producing countries because of coffee leaf rust, the interest of foreign buyers in Colombian coffee also increased substantially in 2013.
Source: FNC
