Colombia, the third-largest coffee grower in the world, will harvest 13 million bags of Arabica beans in the coming season, its largest crop in two decades and a sign of recovery from the devastating coffee rust fungus and an insect pest, the coffee cherry borer, said the USDA. Production would be up by 500,000 bags, or 4 percent, from 2013/14. Colombia grows only Arabica beans. A bag of coffee weighs 60 kg, or 132 pounds.
“Rust initially affected as much as 40 percent of the planted area but has declined significantly following an aggressive tree renovation program,” said the semi-annual Coffee: World Markets and Trade report.
Rust continues to hamper output in most of Central America and Mexico, said the USDA report. The fungal disease disrupted production of Arabica beans, prized for their sweeter, softer taste than the stronger-tasting Robusta beans generally grown at lower altitudes. Coffee rust, described as “the most economically important coffee disease in the world,” has threatened the livelihoods of tens of thousands of small farmers in Central America.
“Even a small reduction in coffee yields or a modest increase in production costs caused by the rust has a huge impact on the coffee producers, the support services, and even the banking systems in those countries whose economies are absolutely dependent on coffee export,” says the American Phytopathologicial Society.
Central America grows one-fifth of the world’s Arabica. Production in the region was forecast at 16.7 million bags, up nearly 5 percent, “driven by Honduras, where rust-resistant trees from recently renovated land reach maturity and propel output to a record 5.9 million bags.” Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador “continue to struggle with rust and output remains below their pre-rust level,” says the USDA.
Latin America is the dominant growing region for Arabica while Robusta is grown primarily in Africa and Indonesia.
Global coffee production was estimated by USDA at 152.7 million bags, up 4 percent from 2013/14 due to record crops in Honduras and Indonesia, where output is forecast up 27 percent. “Global exports and consumption are forecast at record quantities, drawing ending inventories to their lowest level in 4 years,” according to the report. The European Union is the destination for nearly half of all coffee exports. The United States buys nearly one-fourth of the coffee on the world market. Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia, in that order, are the largest growers and exporters.