Coffee Exports to Fall by $200 million in 2012

Coffee entrepreneurs in El Salvador fear that in 2012, losses from a possible reduction of the crop will reach $200 million. Negative factors such as the effect of the weather, aging of the plantations and the bi-annuality of coffee are contributing to the situation.

While the 2010/2011 harvest was very good, with 2.5 million quintals, the harvest from this year and the next might only be 1.4 million quintals, in other words, 1.1 million less, warn coffee union leaders.

"I think we will have a harvest of 1.4 million quintals at most, and this should be of general concern in the country because losses will be millions," said Marcelino Samayoa of the Asociación de Beneficiadores de Café (ABECAFE)", reported La Prensa Grafica on its website.

Source: laprensagrafica.com

More on this topic

El Salvador: Coffee Exports Down 35%

March 2012

In the past 5 months, Salvadoran farmers produced 288,000 quintals less compared to the same period in the previous cycle.

Salvadoran coffee exports have fallen by 34.8% during this harvest (October 2011 to September 2012), while the profits from the sale of the grain are down $19 million, reported Laprensagrafica.com.

2011-2012 Coffee Harvest to Decline by 23%

June 2011

The Salvadoran Foundation for Coffee Research (Procafé) has reported that 564,000 less quintals will be harvested than last year.

Projections for the current crop are in sharp contrast with the 2010-11 crop which totalled 2.4 million quintals (the most in the last ten years).

Panama Analyzes Coffee Imports

February 2011

Considering current crop production is down 50%, for the first time the country is studying importing the bean.

Authorities and farmers are making inventories of existing stocks in order to determine the amount that would be required to satisfy the local market.

"The low crop yields, the attack of the 'Ojo de Gallo' fungus and the escape of raw materials to Costa Rica has caused shortage, driving the price per quintal of coffee," adds Prensa.com.

Honduras 6th Biggest Coffee Producer in the World

November 2011

After overtaking Guatemala to become the main producer in Central America, Honduras is seeking to improve its position in the world rankings of coffee growers.

One feature to note about the coffee boom in Honduras is that their production is an important factor in the distribution of wealth in the population; there are about 100 000 farmers who grow on 237 thousand hectares distributed across almost every part of Honduran territory.