Colombia - May coffee production shows first y-o-y decline in 14 months

Production of washed arabica coffee in May 2016 amounted to 1.163 mln 60-kg bags, up from 1.043 mln in the preceding month but fractionally below 1.165 mln in the same month last year, the National Coffee Growers' Federation (Fedecafe) reported.

Given that there was no year-over-year growth for the first time since March 2015 the data reflect that the country grapples with drought conditions caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon, which has  affected nearly half of the country's growing regions and is expected to curtail output in the mitaca harvest now underway.

This brought output in the first eight months of 2015/16 (Oct/Sep) to 9.526 mln bags, still up from 8.308 mln one year earlier because of strong output growth earlier in the season.

Exports in May amounted to 920,000 bags, up from 906,000 in April but down from 1.006 mln one year earlier. Exports in the first eight months of  2015/16 are 8.582 mln bags, up 9% from a year ago.