SECOND UPDATE: Colombia’s New Government Calls To Grow Robusta Beans
(Adds comments from FNC Technical director on renovation and studies to plant Robusta beans)
Cartagena (Coffee Network)- The administration of Colombia’s new president Gustavo Petro aims to promote Robusta plantations in the Eastern plains of Orinoquia region, aiming to replace the 1.8 million bags of imported coffee for local consumption, Gonzalo Hernandez, deputy minister of finance said.
Production of Robusta in Colombia would partially replace growing imports of beans for the local consumption.
Potential Robusta coffee exports will be exempted from paying a tax on exports as it is not regulated by the government, he said. Colombian coffee exporters pay US$0.6/paid per each pound of coffee exported.
Agricultural research institute Agrosavia has been carrying out experimental tests of Robusta in several coffee stations in Colombia since 2018. Robusta will have to be planted below 1,000 meters high.
Rodrigo Martinez, Agrosavia’s director, said 17 genotypes of Robusta planted in Central America, Asia and South America are being studied.
The experimental tests have been carried out in the town of Cerete in the Caribbean province of Cordoba, in the Pacific town of Tumaco and in the Eastern plains of the Llanos. “So far, we have obtained the first harvest in observatory parcels, where genetic material is growing and multiplying,” he said. The parcels are letting Savia understand when they could planted,harvests, productivity among others.
The supply of Robusta has grown 44% nowadays, compared with 33% at the beginning of the 21th century, Hernandez added.
“Robusta plantations presents an opportunity to replace illicit crops. For 10 hectareas, Robusta will create one job,” he said during the 89th coffee Summit held by the coffee exporters association. “Currently, Robusta presents advantages in the international market, while we could promote Robusta for local consumption”, Hernandez added.
Roberto Velez Vallejo, general manager of the coffee growers federation FNC; said they do not oppose growing Robusta, but they have doubts on how the international market will interpret Colombia producing those beans. He also fears that market participants may mix Arabica with Robusta, affecting the reputation of Colombian beans.
Gustavo Gomez, director of the coffee exporters’ association, said growing Robusta will reduce production costs because plantations will be technified, and beans planted on flat land could be picked using technified equipment. IN Colombia, beans are picked by hand amid steep mountains slopes.
“This is a market with higher production, lower production costs and lower prices,” Gomez said.
“This is not going to harm the coffee industry in Colombia. On the contrary, it will help,” Gomez said.
Renovation
Colombia is falling behind in renovation of plantations, Hernandez said.
Colombia should renovate 84,000 hectares per year to maintain coffee plantations young. Colombia met the target in the years 2008 through 2015. Starting 2016-2021, renovation has been below that target.
As a result, technified aging coffee plantations increased from 14% in 2015 to 17% in 2021, he said.
So far 2022, only 48,600 hectareas have been renovated, down 29% over the same period last year. The government will announce a financial package to help the country renovate plantations mainly through the method of zoca.
Hernando Duque, technical director of the coffee growers federation, said coffee growers have delayed renovation of coffee plantations to take advantage of booming coffee prices. But they are risking future coffee output.
“We are falling behind by one year in the renovation of plantations,” Duque said during the Summit.
Colombia had a total of 126,828 coffee hectares with an age of 24 months or younger as of September 15. Colombia totaled with around 146,000 hectares with 24 months or younger in 2021.
Duque concluded that coffee plantations are aging gradually.
By Diana Delgado
