2024-07-25 15:37:15
The increase in coffee production is due to the strong summer that we had, which had a positive effect on the flowering of the plants and this phenomenon is not only being seen in volume, but in quality. As for the export of this commodity from Huila, it is expected to be above 5% compared to the period of 2023, where 2,237,400 bags of excelso coffee were produced.
It was also learned that in the Department, the municipalities of Pitalito, Acevedo and Suaza are the largest producers of this flagship crop in the country.
Increase in exports
At the regional level, Diario del Huila spoke with Edna Yolima Calderón, Executive Director of the Comité de Cafeteros-Huila, who stated: “in general terms, in terms of coffee exports, we have been noticing growth and the forecast is for an increase, specifically in the shipments of our coffee abroad. We hope to exceed by 5% in relation to the period of 2023.”
In addition, the municipalities of Pitalito, Acevedo and Suaza are the largest producers of this crop in the region and have a meeting point at the same harvest time, which is in the second half of the year.
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Summer and increased production
And regarding the increase in production in the Department, the executive said: “In central and western Huila, we have had coffee production, not in the same volume as in the main harvest, and where it is concentrated it has already passed. And in the second half of the year we will not have it, but in the southern zone, there is good volume and forecast.”
The official also said that the strong summer had a positive effect on flowering and that this is what is determining the good production today, not only in terms of volume, but also in quality.
Huila and the softness of its coffee
In this order of ideas, the director indicated: “what is most liked about this product from Huila is its smoothness, it is what sets us apart and what makes people everywhere prefer Opita coffee, but also the variety we have due to our climate offer, that makes there be a number of attributes that give the customer a choice and that is why the region is so attractive in terms of quality.”
And regarding the generational change, the official said that to this end, they are working from the National Federation of Coffee Growers itself, with strategic allies, the National Government, entities of the guild and public and private institutions in order to make this connection so that coffee growing remains in the region.
“We have several lines of action to achieve this goal. For example, on August 10 and 11, a fair will be held in the municipality of Acevedo, and we are obviously encouraging this initiative by young coffee growers. Diego Campos, champion in barista work from central Huila, will be there and will hold a regional aeropress competition. We are supporting these types of initiatives,” revealed Edna Yolima Calderón.
To understand this method, the Aeropress coffee maker is like a giant syringe, inside which coffee and hot water are mixed and the coffee is extracted by the pressure of a plunger. This method is gaining more and more followers because it allows you to prepare an excellent, full-bodied coffee in a matter of seconds.
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Coffee growing from generation to generation!
Likewise, the entity is working on theoretical and practical training, and is already carrying out “a preparation and some remodeling, adapting the facilities of the concentration to soon have our youth immersed there. And on the farms we have in the municipalities of Gigante and San Agustín, plus the strategic coffee model allies, so that they can do their practices,” said the executive.
They have also been working with children, supporting them ‘hand in hand’ with educational institutions, parents and association groups. “And it is clear that for the Coffee Growers Committee, we have to focus and even improve those efforts to ensure that our young people continue to love the countryside,” explained the director.
Coffee exports increased
And according to the report, coffee production reached 5.82 million bags in the first half of 2024, a figure that grew 16% compared to the same period last year. Likewise, exports amounted to 5.74 million bags, 15% more than in the first half of 2023.
The recent growth in Colombian coffee production has positioned the country as an international leader, with a half-yearly harvest of 12.14 million bags, a figure that has not been reached since 2022.
According to the report, the five countries to which Colombian coffee is exported the most are the United States, with 2,478 TEU (container loading capacity); China, with 568 TEU; Japan, with 551 TEU; Canada, with 549 TEU; and Belgium, with 444 TEU.
In addition, according to research by the Cartagena Port Group, in the cumulative period up to May of this year, the domestic containerized coffee market registered a total volume of 17,101 TEUs mobilized, showing an increase of 1% compared to the previous year. Exports increased by 10.2%, while imports decreased by 52.8%.
It was also learned that terminals in the port area of Buenaventura handle 60% of Colombia’s coffee exports. In addition, the volume of coffee exports increased by 16.2% in the cumulative period up to May. The United States is the main destination for these exports.
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Mobilization of this merchandise
Last April, a train loaded with 160 tons of coffee crossed the country bound for the port of Santa Marta, in an intermodal operation involving land, rail and sea transport, reducing logistics costs and polluting emissions.
This is the third shipment of coffee to be transported by train during the Government of Change, reaching 430 tons between 2023 and 2024. On this occasion, 6 platforms were transported with 160 tons of Excelso coffee packed in 1-ton big bags, bound for the United States. To transport this load, the use of 5 tractor-trailers would have been required, which in this experience complement the operation in the first mile, making the most of the railroad, the country’s roads and maritime transport.
For its part, the National Federation of Coffee Growers stated that “this initiative promotes more efficient logistics and represents an economically viable alternative for the coffee sector, as it contributes to the increase of exports through the Port of Santa Marta. This allows for maximum use of the available railway infrastructure.”