How coffee is grown in Colombia
Colombia's place in the global coffee industry
Colombia is consistently among the three largest producers of Arabica in the world. The annual production volume ranges from 11-13 million bags of 60 kg, and almost all of this coffee is Arabica.
Colombia plays a special role in international trade: it is one of the largest and most stable suppliers of alpine washed Arabica. Unlike countries where exports are based on mixed or commercial batches, Colombian coffee has been shaping the standard of a clean, balanced cup for decades. It was through Colombia in the middle of the 20th century that the idea of the "classic" profile of Arabica was fixed in the world market.
The main markets for Colombian coffee are the USA, Europe and Japan
Colombia is not just a major producer in terms of volume. This is a country whose importance is determined by a combination of scale, supply stability and a recognizable taste profile, which many markets perceive as a benchmark for washed Arabica.
Geography and terroir
Colombia is located on the equator, and the territory of the country is crossed by three ridges of the Andes. Coffee farms are located at altitudes on average from 1200 to 2200 m above sea level. The mountainous terrain, elevation differences and different slope exposures create pronounced variability within the country.
High altitudes and the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures slow down the ripening of berries, which contributes to the accumulation of sugars and the formation of a more full-bodied bean structure. That is why the high-altitude regions of the country often give a bright acidity and a clean, structured cup.
Due to the equatorial position in the country there is no pronounced change of seasons. Related to this is another feature of Colombia — the presence of two harvests per year: the main crop and mitaki (fly crop). Mitaka usually gives a smaller volume, and traditionally it is considered that its quality is slightly lower. However, in recent years, the share of mitaki has been increasing, especially in the southern regions. This system allows Colombia to be present on the fresh harvest market almost all year round.
Due to the unstable distribution of precipitation, flowers and berries of varying degrees of maturity are often present on one tree at the same time.
The coffee map of the country is conditionally divided into four zones:
The central zone (Antioquia, Caldas, Kindio, Risaralda, Tolima) is the historical core of production.
The northern zone (Santander, etc.) — lower altitudes, milder acidity.
The southern zone (Huila, Cauca, Nariño) is a high—altitude coffee with bright acidity and a complex profile.
Eastern zone — smaller volumes, developing regions.
The southern regions have strengthened their role in recent years. For example, Huila today is one of the leaders in terms of volume and quality of production.
Production structure
Colombia is a small—scale farming country. About 95% of producers own plots of less than 5 hectares. The mountainous terrain does not allow mechanization of the collection, so almost all coffee is harvested manually. Harvesting is carried out selectively: berries are removed as they ripen, often in several passes.
Manual sampling increases the homogeneity of the batch, but increases labor costs
Primary processing is usually carried out by farmers themselves. It is difficult to transport fresh berries — they are heavy and quickly begin to ferment. Therefore, most often, already dried cement is removed from the farm. Then it is accepted by cooperatives or private exporters who carry out laboratory assessment, sorting and form export lots.
Such a system makes quality dependent on discipline at the farm level, but at the same time allows you to maintain traceability and separate batches by region and profile.
Genetics and varieties
Historically, typica and Bourbon were grown in Colombia, later caturra spread widely. After outbreaks of coffee rust, the Cenicafé research center bred resistant varieties, primarily castillo and colombia. Today, castillo occupies a significant part of the plantings due to disease resistance and stable yields.
Thanks to the work of the Cenicafé Research Center, Colombia has become one of the first countries to systematically introduce rust-resistant varieties at the national level.
In parallel, the direction of rare varieties is developing. In the southern regions, you can grow ahi, papayo, ombligon and other lines, some of which have Ethiopian roots. These varieties are more common in microlots and are focused on the unique coffee market, where producers seek to compensate for the limited volume with higher added value.
Processing
Colombia is the world leader in the production of washed Arabica. High humidity and frequent rains make natural processing risky: drying in berries takes longer and increases the likelihood of defects.
The traditional processing model in Colombia is depulpation, fermentation, washing and drying of the pigment
Farmers often dry coffee to 20-25% moisture naturally, then dry it in mechanical dryers to 10-12%. Improper drying, for example at temperatures above 40 ° C, can adversely affect the stability of beans during storage.
The share of natural and anaerobic treatments, the spread of funky lots and infusion processes is growing in the specialty segment. However, it remains a niche segment nationwide.
Economy and exports
The export system in Colombia is built around the National Federation of Coffee Producers. Through a network of cooperatives, a farmer can hand over the harvest and receive payment according to a formula that depends on the exchange price. This gives the producers clear conditions and reduces the risk that coffee will remain unsold.
Most of the exports are large standardized batches of the Excelso Exportable category. This coffee meets the established requirements for the size of the bean and the number of defects. Thanks to this, the country can annually supply large and homogeneous volumes of washed Arabica.
The Supremo and Excelso designations refer to bean size, not taste characteristics. Such physical standardization is at the heart of mass export programs
In parallel, a segment of regional and farm lots is developing, especially in the southern departments. These parties are smaller in volume and more often work in the specialty segment. Thus, there are two models in the country at the same time: large standardized deliveries and more interesting, dedicated lots.
Production at the same time depends on the weather. Excessive rains or drought can affect crop volume and delivery times.
The result
Colombia is the largest supplier of washed Arabica with a stable production and export system. Heights, manual harvesting and the predominance of washed processing form a clean and stable profile, for which the country is valued in the world market.
The scale of production is combined with the ability to allocate regional and farm lots. This is what makes Colombia both a basic and flexible producer country for the green coffee market.