Year-on-year production of coffee in Colombia grew by 24% to 779,00 sacks of 132 lbs in March 2011 compared to the 629,000 produced the same month last year, according to the National Federation of Coffee Growers.
The coffee harvest for the first three months of 2011 also grew by 37% to 2.4 million sacks compared to 1.8 million sacks in the same quarter last year El Espectador reported Wednesday.
In the period October 2010 – March 2011, equivalent to the first half of the coffee growing year, the harvest grew by 38% compared to the same period for the previous year.
“Recovering production has become a priority … positive results have been achieved due to the increase of the crop and the strong resolve to eradicate the worm infestation, once and for all, throughout the country. This shows that we are achieving our objectives.” said Luis Genaro Muñoz Ortega, director of the National Federation of Coffee Growers.
The gross domestic product of the coffee sector grew by 44% in the last three months of 2010 and 9% for the whole year. These positive results have been achieved largely through the agreement signed with the national government, the Accord for Coffee Prosperity 2010-2015.
This particular framework has started a series of programs and initiatives that aim to boost sales and production, such as encouraging the production of speciality varieties of coffee and ensuring the maximum transfer of money from international sales back to the producer.
Muñoz Ortega added, “The increase in production is key to making up what was lost during the severe winter rains, and to attaining income sustainability for coffee growers and their families.”