2024 has been a positive year for the coffee sector in Valle del Cauca. According to figures from the Valle Coffee Growers Committee, The department has 52,000 hectares planted, 2,000 more than in 2023. (See chart).
“In the Valley we are dealing with very interesting figures. In this area of the country, coffee cultivation is an activity of very small producers. We have an average of 2.2 hectares planted per producer, so we expect a good harvest,” said Héctor Fabio Cuéllar, Executive Director of the Coffee Growers Committee of Valle del Cauca.
Coffee-growing areas by department Chart: El País Source: SICA | Photo: El País
He added that for the second harvest cycle, which begins to be collected at the end of this month of Septemberit is expected that more than two million arrobas will be collected, at a price of $206,000 per arroba
Camilo Restrepo, representative of the Valle department before the Steering Committee and the National Committee of the National Federation of Coffee Growers, highlighted the growth in figures, despite the fact that the weather has been a factor against it, due to the intense heat of the last few months.
“Currently the coffee outlook has been very positive Due to the peso-dollar exchange rate and the international price, coffee growing has also reached high levels of productivity, as a result of the commitment of the families that produce the grain. and the guild to maintain young, highly productive crops, with high densities and a very high proportion of the area planted in rust-resistant varieties,” he said.
Harvest Plan
Last week the official launch of the Harvest Plan was held, within the framework of the Departmental Committee of Coffee Growers, where it was determined that For this second cycle, 19,000 collectors will be needed in the region until December.
To this end, the various committees are carrying out a campaign to attract young people who want to work, since it is no longer easy to find pickers due to the security problems affecting the region.
Coffee production in Colombia 2024 Cumulative production over 12 months, in millions of 60 kg bags. Chart: El País Source: Fedecafé | Photo: El País
“We have worked together with mayors and governors to ensure their safety. We also have a good harvest, with good pay and good facilities to care for them,” said Héctor Fabio Cuéllar.
Rubén Elías González, a coffee grower and representative of the municipality of Seville, said that he has 20,000 trees planted on his farm and fortunately he has already found 5 neighbouring harvesters to support the 4 permanent workers he has.
The Coffee Valley in figures
The Cauca Valley has more than 52,000 hectares planted with coffee. (Photo by Juan RESTREPO / AFP) | Photo: AFP
- 92.5% of coffee growers have less than 5 hectares.
- The Cauca Valley has 6,951 women coffee growers.
- The average age of coffee growers in the Valley is 59 years old.
- 70% of coffee producers are men and 30% are women.
- In the Valley, annual productivity is 627 thousand bags.
- The direct jobs generated are 44,060.
- Purchasing points of Coffee Growers’ Cooperatives: 32 points.
- 51% of producers in the Cauca Valley are under voluntary sustainability standards
