BOGOTÁ, Colombia – In May, registered production of Colombian coffee was almost 1.2 million 60-kg bags, 6% more than the 1.1 million bags produced in the fifth month of 2019, reports the National Federation of Coffee Growers in its monthly figures.
In the last 12 months, production exceeded 14 million bags, 4% more than the almost 13.6 million bags produced in the same previous period.
So far this year, Colombia’s registered coffee production reached 4.8 million bags, 12% down from almost 5.5 million bags in the first five months of 2019.
And so far this coffee year (October 2019-May 2020), production exceeded 9.3 million bags, 2% more than the 9.1 million bags produced in the same period.
“Data confirms that Colombia maintains good production levels and that, if it continues like this, 2020 would be the sixth year where the coffee harvest exceeds 14 million bags, historical levels for the country’s coffee farming,” Roberto Vélez, CEO of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC), said.
The union leader also noted that, despite the health situation, coffee farmers have collected and sold their coffee without further problems, thanks to work with authorities and compliance with health protocols, and the fact that labor has not been an unbalance factor, especially due to the launch of municipal job offers that have solved each region’ needs, reduced seasonal migration of collectors and thus prevented spreading covid-19.
“As a country, we should be proud of the effort that coffee growers are making to stay healthy and continue harvesting. In the midst of this pandemic and with so many industries affected, the coffee sector is once again the engine of the economy,” Vélez added.
Colombian coffee exports decrease 15% in May
In May, Colombian coffee exports fell 15% to 871,000 60-kg bags from just over one million bags exported in May 2019.
So far this year, exports fell 16% to 4.6 million bags compared to over 5.4 million bags exported in the first five months of 2019.
In the last 12 months, coffee exports fell slightly, 2%, to 12.8 million 60-kg bags compared to 13.1 million bags exported a year earlier.
And so far this coffee year, exports fell 7% to almost 8.4 million bags compared to 9 million bags a year earlier.
