Colombian Coffee, Cocoa Products With High Opportunities in US Despite Tariffs
Colombian Coffee, Cocoa Products With High Opportunities in US Despite Tariffs
Bogota (Coffee Network) -An analysis by the Colombian-American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Colombia) concluded that despite the 10% tariff imposed by the United States on Colombian products, 56% of the Colombian agroindustrial sector's exportable supply remains open to medium-high and high-end opportunities to increase sales to that market, which would benefit Colombian coffee and cocoa.
The resilience and competitiveness of the Colombian agribusiness sector, which has already established itself as one of the major beneficiaries of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States, in force since 2012. During these 13 years, Colombia's agricultural exports to the US market have grown significantly, with an average increase of 162% in destination states, increasing from a presence in 38 states in 2012 to 48 in 2024, Amcham said.
Between 2012 and 2024, products such as avocados, lemons, blueberries, prepared foods, dried fruits, roasted coffee, vegetable oils, medicinal plants, and chocolate, among many others, registered growth exceeding 100%, consolidating Colombia's position in high value-added categories. In total, exports of sanitary-eligible products grew 471%, from US$65.8 million in 2012 to more than US$375 million in 2024.
“The FTA remains a key platform for Colombian agribusiness. Even in the face of new tariff barriers, the country retains significant comparative advantages, such as the sanitary admissibility of key products, efficient logistics, and an increasingly diversified export basket,” said María Claudia Lacouture, president of AmCham Colombia.
AmCham Colombia identified more than 20 agro-industrial products with high potential for continued growth in the United States, given the strong US demand. These include processed foods, prepared sauces, fats and oils, prepared fruits, bakery and confectionery products, cookies, unroasted coffee, frozen potatoes, sugar, and cocoa preparations, cranberries, raspberries, dog and cat food for retail sale, among others.
There is also an opportunity to increase presence in products such as prepared chocolates in blocks, semi-milled or milled, polished or glazed rice, non-alcoholic beverages, plant juices and extracts, raw cocoa beans, prepared or preserved tuna, cocoa butter, juice from any fruit or vegetable, waffles and wafers, pet food (except for dogs or cats), unfilled chocolate, uncooked, filled, or prepared pasta, beef, sheep, or goat tallow, and pineapples, where Colombian exports could be worth millions of dollars.
Colombia, the world’s third-largest coffee producer, exported 3.59 million 60-kg bags of green coffee in the first quarter, up 20.1% compared to the same period in 2024, the coffee growers federation said. Colombia exported to China 107,638 bags during the first quarter.
Colombia wants to diversify its export-base after the US president slapped trade tariffs to Colombian products, including coffee with a 10% tariff.
Colombia exported 11.42 million bags of green coffee in 2024, which represented an increase of 17%, compared with 9.73 million bags exported in 2023. The US is by far the largest buyer of Colombian coffee, taking 40% of total exports, or the equivalent of 4.56 million bags. That compares with around 500,000 bags to China last year.
The results were presented by the president of AmCham Colombia, María Claudia Lacouture, during the Agroindustrial Summit "Agro Colombia 2030: Cultivating the Future," held with the support of Cargill.
By Diana Delgado
