Study Maps Changes In Colombia's Coffee Sector – CoffeeTalk

Colombia, recognized as the world’s third-largest coffee producer, has experienced substantial structural transformations in its coffee sector over the past decade, as reported in the study “Coffee Farming in Motion: Patterns and Motivations Associated with Coffee-Growing Mobility,” authored by the chief economist of the National Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) alongside a team of economists.

From 2011 to 2023, the area planted with coffee decreased significantly from 921,069 hectares to 842,399 hectares, marking a net reduction of 78,670 hectares. During this same period, the number of coffee farms declined considerably, with 204,574 farms (29% of those active in 2011) exiting coffee production. Although 157,441 new farms entered the sector (23.9% of those active in 2023), this resulted in a net loss of 47,133 coffee-producing holdings. By 2023, there were 658,525 farms compared to 705,658 in 2011, with an average size reduction from 1.30 hectares to 1.28 hectares. The total coffee farm area also shrank, decreasing from 3.1 million hectares in 2011 to 2.9 million hectares in 2023.

Demographically, the coffee-growing population has become smaller and older, with the number of active coffee growers dropping 4% to 519,969 in 2023 from 541,208 in 2011. The proportion of older adult producers surged from 25.7% to 36%, which elevated the average age of growers from 50.4 years to 54.5 years. This demographic shift is attributed to both natural aging and the generational replacement of older producers. Conversely, there has been a rise in women’s participation in coffee production, increasing from 27.7% of growers in 2011 to 31% in 2023. Moreover, households led by women rose from 19.4% to 29.9%, alongside an improvement in educational levels, with the average years of schooling advancing from 3.4 to 5.3.

Household dynamics reflected ongoing changes, as the average size of coffee-growing households fell from four members to 3.6, with the total population in coffee households decreasing from 1.9 million to 1.8 million. Urbanization trends indicate that the share of coffee households in urban areas rose from 22.4% to 24.2%. The report emphasizes trends towards smaller households, heightened education, increased urbanization, and a broader leadership role for women.

Despite the contraction in cultivated area, coffee production itself saw a notable rise, surging from 7.8 million 60-kg bags in 2011—when adverse weather and diseases like coffee leaf rust hindered output—to 11.3 million bags in 2023, realizing a 45% increase. This production growth was bolstered by a shift towards disease-resistant coffee varieties, which increased from 42.7% to 87% of the area, alongside a reduction in the average age of coffee trees from 9.5 to 6.8 years, and an increase in average planting density from 5,095 plants per hectare to 5,323.

Regionally, the coffee-growing landscape has varied notably. From 2011 to 2023, the South of Colombia was the only region to expand its cultivated area, growing by 27,185 hectares from 355,552 hectares to 382,737 hectares. This southern region, including departments like Cauca, Huila, Tolima, and Nariño, comprised over 51.4% of the country’s coffee growers by 2025 and accounted for 46.4% of national coffee production. In contrast, the Coffee Belt, which includes regions such as Antioquia, Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, and Valle del Cauca, experienced a significant decline in cultivated area, losing 84,724 hectares and shrinking from 371,130 hectares to 286,406 hectares during the same timeframe.

Read More @ StoneX