Ricardo Villanueva, president of the National Coffee Association (Anacafe) said that predictions of a reduced harvest are based on the expected effects of climate change, such as virulent attacks of diseases in the plantations.
"If producers do not treat these diseases this year, casualties could be up to 50 percent of the 2012/2013 harvest", warned Villanueva, according to PrensaLibre.com.
Among the most vulnerable areas mentioned were the southwest region, Huehuetenango and Antigua Guatemala, where coffee blight is advancing quickly, added PrensaLibre.com.
Source: prensalibre.com
More on this topic
November 2011
The country's coffee association, Anacafe, predicts that export production will be similar to this year.
Coffee producers have closed the current harvest with a 6% increase in export grain, selling a total of 4.5 million hundredweight.
However, projections for the 2011-12 harvest are not so encouraging with producers signaling that production could suffer due to damages to plantations caused by last month's heavy rains.
October 2010
In the 2009-2010 coffee season, which ended September 30th, 4.45 million quintals were exported.
For next harvest (2010-2011), farmers estimate exports for 4.7 million quintals.
Ricardo Villanueva, president of the National Coffee Association (Anacafe), told Prensa Libre "Climate has been harmful during the present harvest and has affected coffee production.
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.
July 2009
The National Association of the Coffe Industry increased their production estimates for the 2009-2010 harvest, from 3.5 to to 3.85 million 60-kilogram sacks.
With this new forecast, production would increase 17% in comparison to the previous cycle.
"Good growth conditions are appearing at times when global demand for quality coffee is raising, as Colombia - one of the largest coffee producers of the world - is facing shortages due to adverse climate and a coffee plantation renewal program", reported newspaper La Prensa Gráfica in its website.
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