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Origin · Country profile

Colombia

The third-largest coffee producer and an arabica-only origin, grown on the slopes of three Andean ranges, harvested at different times from north to south and organised since 1927 around the national coffee growers’ federation.

Source-checkedby Coffearium verification pass· Last source-checked 31 Oct 2026· Prepared with AI assistance· 38 sources (35 tier A)· 5 contested· Updated 31 Oct 2026· Literature last searched 30 Oct 2026
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Contents
  • Colombia was the third-largest producer in 2025/26, with 12.5 of the world’s 178.8 million 60-kg bags, all arabica, by the count of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).1
  • Coffee grows between 1° and 11°N on the three Andean ranges and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, at 800–2,000 m in a 2015 Cenicafé study.8
  • The south harvests mainly in the first half of the year, the north in the second; the centre has two harvests, a main crop and the mitaca.9
  • About 540,000 families grow coffee on about 840,000 ha (2026); in FNC figures of January 2017, 96% of producers were smallholders with 1.3 ha on average.7,6
  • In 2025, 88% of the coffee area was planted with rust-resistant varieties, according to the national coffee growers’ federation (FNC).4

Snapshot#

Colombia is the third-largest coffee producer. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) puts its 2025/26 crop at 12.5 million bags of 60 kg.1 That is 7.0% of the world total of 178.8 million bags (our calculation).1 Only Brazil and Vietnam produce more.1

The crop was smaller than usual. USDA lowered it by 1.3 million bags because excessive rain and cloud cover reduced yields.1 For 2026/27, USDA forecasts 13.4 million bags.1 In the statistics of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Colombia was also third in 2024, with 839,847 t of green coffee. That is 7.5% of the 78 countries’ total (our calculation).3

Colombia grows only arabica (C. arabica). USDA lists no robusta production for the country.1 The protected name “Café de Colombia” may be given only to coffee of the arabica species.11

Where coffee grows#

Coffee is grown in the Andes, between 1° and 11°N. A 2015 study by Cenicafé, the national coffee research centre, places the coffee zone on the three Andean ranges – the Western, Central and Eastern Cordilleras – and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.8 The same study gives an altitude of 800–2,000 m.8

Altitude rises towards the equator. A 2018 Cenicafé bulletin describes coffee from about 1,000 m in the north up to 2,000 m in the south.9 This matches the rule that coffee grows higher near the equator (see The coffee belt). The legal area of the protected name is wider: 400–2,500 m, from 1°00′ to 11°15′N.11

Coffee is grown in most of the country. In FNC figures of January 2017, 22 of Colombia’s 32 departments (provinces) grew coffee, according to the national coffee growers’ federation (FNC).6 The Swiss specification of the protected name lists 23 departments, from Nariño in the south to La Guajira in the north.11

The highest summits of the Central Cordillera rise far above the coffee zone. Nevado del Huila reaches 5,364 m and Nevado del Ruiz 5,321 m, according to the Colombian Geological Survey (SGC).38,37

Relief map of the Colombian Andes with the coffee zone at 800–2,000 metres and layers for harvest zones, coffee area by department, regional denominations of origin, places in the history of coffee and Cenicafé experiment stationsNariñoCaucaHuilaSantanderTolimaSierra NevadaPacific OceanCaribbean SeaVENEZUELAECUADORPANAMAWestern CordilleraCentral CordilleraEastern CordilleraSierra Nevada de Santa MartaMagdalenaCaucaBogotáCaliBucaramangaNeivaPastoSanta MartaPopayánMedellínNevado del Ruiz5,321 mNevado del Huila5,364 m1°N3°N5°N7°N10°NNorthCentral northCentral southSouth1234Pueblo BelloSantanderEl RosarioNaranjalSanta BárbaraLa TrinidadLa CatalinaParaguaicitoEl Tambo
coffee zone, 800–2,000 m (Cenicafé 2015)8not among the 23 departments of the protected name11▲ summits37,38contours every 250 m, bold every 1,000 mRelief: AWS Terrain Tiles; borders, rivers, towns: Natural Earth
Interactive map of the coffee zone on the three Cordilleras and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, 1–11°N, at 800–2,000 m (2015 Cenicafé study). Layers: the four harvest zones by latitude (Cenicafé 2018) with their harvest by half-year; coffee area by department in 2017; the six regional denominations of origin; places in the history of coffee; and Cenicafé experiment stations. Departments not listed for the protected name are shaded. Relief from AWS Terrain Tiles; borders from Natural Earth.8,9,11,27,28,13,23
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of the Colombian Andes along 5 degrees north, from the Pacific coast to the eastern plains: the Western, Central and Eastern Cordilleras with the Cauca and Magdalena valleys between them; slopes between 800 and 2,000 metres, the coffee zone, are highlighted, with three Cenicafé stations0 m1,000 m2,000 m3,000 m4,000 mcoffee zone 800–2,000 m 8 Cauca valleyCentral CordilleraMagdalena valleyEastern CordilleraEastern plainsWestern CordilleraPacific123Cenicafé stations near 5°N: 1 Naranjal, 1,381 m · 2 La Trinidad, 1,453 m · 3 Santa Bárbara, 1,478 m 8 77°W76°W75°W74°W73°W72°WAlong 5°N, west to east; vertical scale about 60 times the horizontal. Terrain: AWS Terrain Tiles, 0.1° means.
Section along 5°N from the Pacific to the eastern plains. The coffee zone of the 2015 Cenicafé study, 800–2,000 m, is marked on the slopes on both sides of the Cauca and Magdalena valleys. Three Cenicafé stations near 5°N are placed at their published altitude. Terrain from AWS Terrain Tiles (0.1° means).8

Eje Cafetero. The Coffee Cultural Landscape lies in the foothills of the Western and Central Cordilleras.14 In 2011, UNESCO inscribed the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia on the World Heritage List.13 It is made of six sites in the Eje Cafetero.14 Its management names the departments of Caldas, Quindío, Risaralda and Valle.14 UNESCO describes small family coffee plots on steep slopes, shaped by settlers from Antioquia who arrived in the 19th century.14

Climate and harvest#

The coffee zone sits near the equator. A 2015 Cenicafé study states that the rainfall pattern there gives two dry and two wet seasons a year.8 The two wet seasons lead to two harvest periods.8 Where rain falls in one season only, the harvest is concentrated in one period.8

The timing changes from south to north. A 2018 Cenicafé bulletin divides the coffee zone into four bands of latitude:9

  • South (1–3°N). The main harvest falls in the first half of the year; Cenicafé’s map class for the zone pairs it with a mitaca in the second half.9
  • Central south (3–5°N). Two harvests, one in each half of the year.9
  • Central north (5–7°N). Two harvests; the second half of the year brings the larger one.9
  • North (7–10°N). One harvest, concentrated in the second half of the year.9

The smaller of two harvests is called the mitaca, or traviesa.9,10 At six Cenicafé stations in the central region, the main harvest began in August, grew from September and fell sharply in December. The traviesa was picked between March and May.10 Harvest calendars gives the national peaks reported by USDA, which differ (see Contested).

The six stations lie between 4°23′ and 5°58′N, at 1,250–1,600 m. They are in Antioquia, Caldas, Cundinamarca, Quindío, Risaralda and Tolima.10 A 2015 Cenicafé study used them and three more stations, from El Tambo in Cauca to Pueblo Bello in Cesar (see Experiment stations).8

The specification of the protected name gives 210–224 days from flowering to picking.11 It notes that several harvests a year are possible on the same tree.11

Farms and people#

Colombian coffee is a smallholder crop. About 540,000 families grow coffee on about 840,000 ha, according to a 2026 report of the Brazilian agriculture ministry.7 In figures of January 2017, the FNC counted 555,692 coffee families on 931,746 ha.6 It described 96% of producers as small, with 1.3 ha on average.6

A few departments hold most of the coffee. In 2017 statistics of the agriculture ministry, Huila had 147,805 ha planted, Antioquia 123,257 ha and Tolima 112,867 ha.27 Antioquia produced the most green coffee that year, 140,399 t, ahead of Huila with 133,788 t.27 All 22 departments in that table are listed under Coffee by department.

Yields have risen with replanting. The FNC reports 22.27 bags of green coffee per hectare in coffee year 2024/25, and 21.03 bags in 2025.5,4 FAO statistics give a lower figure for 2024 (see Coffee yields and Contested).

The plantations are young. In 2025, the average age of the plantations was 6.3 years, the lowest on record, according to the FNC.4 That year 93,608 ha were renewed or newly planted.4

Varieties#

Most Colombian coffee is planted with rust-resistant varieties.4 Coffee leaf rust, a fungal disease, was first reported in Colombia in 1983, in Caldas.16 Cenicafé released the resistant variety Colombia in 1980 and Castillo in 2005.15 Cenicafé 1, described by Cenicafé in 2016, comes from a cross of Caturra with the Timor Hybrid 1343. It resists rust and coffee berry disease.15

The specification of the protected name lists Caturra, Típica, Bourbon, Maragogype, San Bernardo and Tabi as main varieties. It notes that Castillo has replaced the variety Colombia.11

The share of resistant varieties has grown. In January 2017, 74% of the area was planted with varieties resistant to rust and coffee berry disease, and 26% with susceptible ones.6 By 2025 the resistant share was 88%.4

020406080100% of planted areaJanuary 201774%6 Coffee year 2024/2587.8%5 Calendar year 202588%4
Data table
% of planted areaSource
January 201774%6
Coffee year 2024/2587.8%5
Calendar year 202588%4
Share of Colombia’s coffee area planted with rust-resistant varieties, as reported by the FNC: January 2017, coffee year 2024/25 and calendar year 2025.6,5,4

Processing#

Coffee sold as Café de Colombia is washed: the fruit is removed and the mucilage fermented and washed off before drying. The specification of the protected name describes wet processing, with fermentation usually lasting 12–18 h.11 Sun drying is slow and at low temperature; mechanical dryers may not exceed 55 °C.11 The cherries are to be picked one by one, mainly by hand.11

Cenicafé has developed ecological wet milling. Conventional washing can use about 40 litres of water per kilogram of dry parchment coffee.19 With the DESLIM demucilager, water use fell to under 1 litre per kilogram.19 The method aims to control more than 90% of the potential pollution.19 How washing works in general is explained in Washed process.

History#

Legend and evidence. According to the FNC, Jesuits brought coffee to Colombia in the 18th century.23 The FNC also tells a story of a priest in Salazar de las Palmas, in today’s Norte de Santander.23,26 He is said to have imposed coffee planting on his parishioners as a penance; the FNC calls this a legend.23 An FNC regional atlas names the priest as Francisco Romero and states that he found small coffee plantings already there when he arrived.26 No source consulted for this entry documents the story with a primary record.

The documented history begins in the north-east, near Cúcuta. A 2013 history article states that coffee production in Norte de Santander had begun by 1820.24 According to the FNC, the first bags were exported from the Cúcuta customs house in 1835.23 A central-bank history has small exports from 1830 or earlier (see Contested).22 In 1874, the region produced 79% of Colombia’s coffee.24

Moving south. From Norte de Santander, coffee spread south along the cordillera to Antioquia and Caldas.24 Settlers from Antioquia then moved south.22,14 By the 1950s, coffee made up 80% of Colombia’s exports, according to a central-bank history.22

The federation. The FNC was founded in Medellín on 1 July 1927.22,23 The National Coffee Fund (Fondo Nacional del Café), which the FNC administers, was created on 22 November 1940.22

Trade and institutions#

Purchase guarantee. From its early years, the FNC has guaranteed to buy parchment coffee from producers.22 From January to September 2025, the guarantee paid an average of COP 2,926,716 per carga.5

Exports. Colombia exported 13.3 million bags of 60 kg in coffee year 2024/25 and 13.14 million in 2025.5,4 USDA counts 12.8 million bags in 2025/26, of which 11.7 million green coffee, the rest roasted and soluble.1

Quality rules. The National Coffee Committee sets the quality of green coffee for export. Excelso must be retained above screen 14, with a tolerance of 1.5% below it.20 A 500 g sample may hold up to 72 defective beans, and moisture may not exceed 12% (basis not stated).20 The coffee must be free of off-flavours such as ferment, chemical taste or mould.20 The full grades are in Green coffee grading.

Colombian Milds. The International Coffee Organization (ICO) groups arabica prices by type. Its Colombian Milds group is made up of Colombia, Kenya and Tanzania.21 How this group’s premium moves is shown in Differentials.

Coffee at home. Colombians drank 2.28 million bags of coffee in 2025, according to the FNC.4 After the small 2025/26 crop, USDA estimates that Colombia imported 2.2 million bags to keep up domestic consumption.1

Café de Colombia. In 2007, the European Union registered “Café de Colombia” as a protected geographical indication (PGI).12 Switzerland followed by a decision of its Federal Office for Agriculture of 28 January 2013.11 The specification ties the name to arabica, the defined area and altitude, and wet processing.11

Regional denominations. The Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) declares denominations of origin in Colombia. Besides Café de Colombia (2005), it has declared six regional ones for coffee.28 They are Café de Nariño and Café de Cauca (2011), Café del Huila (2013), Café de Santander (2014), and Café de Tolima and Café de La Sierra Nevada (2017).28 Their rules of use set narrower altitude bands than the national name: 1,300–2,300 m in Nariño, 1,000–2,200 m in Huila and 900–2,300 m in Santander.29,30,31 The European Union approved adding Nariño, Cauca and Huila to the names protected under its trade agreement with Colombia, Ecuador and Peru in 2018, and Santander in 2020.35,36 The SIC reported Café de Santander protected in May 2021.34 They are protected through the agreement, not registered as a PGI like Café de Colombia.35,36,12

Production over time#

The FAO series shows how weather and disease move the Colombian crop. Production was 757,080 t in 2007 and fell to 468,720 t in 2009.2 It stayed below 540,000 t until 2012 and passed 800,000 t in 2015.2 A second fall, to 560,340 t, came in 2021.2 The 2024 value, 839,847 t, is the third-highest of the series since 2000.2

200020042008201220162020202402004006008001000Yearthousand t green coffeeColombia2
Data table
SeriesYearthousand t green coffeeSource
Colombia2000637.142
Colombia2001656.162
Colombia2002696.842
Colombia2003694.082
Colombia2004674.42
Colombia2005667.142
Colombia2006724.742
Colombia2007757.082
Colombia2008688.682
Colombia2009468.722
Colombia2010535.382
Colombia2011468.542
Colombia20124622
Colombia2013653.162
Colombia2014728.42
Colombia2015827.752
Colombia2016818.2432
Colombia2017851.642
Colombia2018813.422
Colombia2019885.122
Colombia2020833.42
Colombia2021560.342
Colombia2022665.0162
Colombia2023680.8582
Colombia2024839.8472
Green coffee production of Colombia, 2000–2024, in thousand tonnes, from FAO statistics by calendar year. The 2008–2012 dip coincides with the rust epidemic of 2008–2011.2,17
Year t Year t Year t
2000 637,1402 2009 468,7202 2018 813,4202
2001 656,1602 2010 535,3802 2019 885,1202
2002 696,8402 2011 468,5402 2020 833,4002
2003 694,0802 2012 462,0002 2021 560,3402
2004 674,4002 2013 653,1602 2022 665,0162
2005 667,1402 2014 728,4002 2023 680,8582
2006 724,7402 2015 827,7502 2024 839,8472
2007 757,0802 2016 818,2432
2008 688,6802 2017 851,6402

National and international bodies count the crop differently. USDA uses a marketing year from October to September.1 The FNC reports both coffee years and calendar years.5,4 FAO uses calendar years.3

0481216million 60-kg bagsUSDA, 2024/2514.81 FNC, coffee year 2024/2514.95 FAO, calendar year 2024(converted)≈14.0 (our calculation)3 FNC, calendar year 202513.74 USDA, 2025/2612.51 USDA, 2026/27 forecast13.4 (forecast)1
Data table
million 60-kg bagsSource
USDA, 2024/2514.81
FNC, coffee year 2024/2514.95
FAO, calendar year 2024 (converted)≈14.0 (our calculation)3
FNC, calendar year 202513.74
USDA, 2025/2612.51
USDA, 2026/27 forecast13.4 (forecast)1
Colombia’s coffee crop in million 60-kg bags as counted by USDA (marketing years, October–September) and by the FNC (coffee year 2024/25 and calendar year 2025); FAO’s 2024 value converted to bags (our calculation).1,5,4,3

Coffee by department#

The most recent department table consulted comes from the agriculture ministry’s Agronet portal. It gives area planted, area harvested and production of green coffee for 2017, with area from the FNC’s coffee information system (SICA) and municipal production calculated by the ministry.27 Its national total of 851,640 t equals the FAO value for 2017.27,2 Its planted area, 903,951 ha, is lower than the 931,746 ha in the FNC figures of January 2017; the two refer to different dates.27,6

Department Area planted, 2017 (ha) Area harvested, 2017 (ha) Production, 2017 (t green coffee) Share of production (our calculation)
Huila 147,80527 122,57627 133,78827 15.7%
Antioquia 123,25727 99,31227 140,39927 16.5%
Tolima 112,86727 96,01927 94,55727 11.1%
Cauca 93,30227 80,29027 97,92227 11.5%
Caldas 68,96927 51,85527 68,66827 8.1%
Valle del Cauca 61,11327 51,47127 51,68827 6.1%
Santander 50,15827 42,32727 54,90927 6.4%
Risaralda 48,51727 37,33427 46,78027 5.5%
Nariño 38,17027 33,64027 35,00427 4.1%
Cundinamarca 35,42527 30,89427 33,94327 4.0%
Cesar 28,03327 25,15927 16,62827 2.0%
Norte de Santander 23,98627 21,41027 23,40927 2.7%
Quindío 23,75527 17,70027 18,79227 2.2%
Magdalena 20,17027 18,13027 11,93827 1.4%
Boyacá 10,56827 9,59827 7,63927 0.9%
La Guajira 5,86227 5,34127 3,51727 0.4%
Caquetá 4,05327 3,40927 5,10827 0.6%
Meta 3,40127 2,92727 4,01327 0.5%
Casanare 2,91627 2,43727 1,74827 0.2%
Bolívar 1,23127 1,13727 74927 0.1%
Putumayo 22527 20927 28227 <0.1%
Chocó 17027 12627 15927 <0.1%
Colombia 903,95127 753,29827 851,64027 100%

Córdoba and Arauca, both listed in the specification of the protected name, do not appear in the table. Bolívar appears in the table but not in that specification.27,11 The table gives no numbers of producers by department.27

Regional denominations of origin#

Each regional denomination has its own rules of use, administered by the FNC. Where they define the area, they do so by a list of municipalities and an altitude band.29,30,31,32 The Nariño area also takes in three municipalities of Cauca: Mercaderes, Bolívar and Florencia.29

Denomination SIC resolution Area Altitude EU
Café de Nariño No. 06093, 11 February 201128 Nariño and three municipalities of Cauca29 1,300–2,300 m29 Addition approved by the EU, 201835
Café de Cauca No. 41788, 10 August 201128 Rules of use not consulted Not consulted Addition approved by the EU, 201835
Café del Huila No. 017989, 16 April 201328 35 municipalities of Huila (our count)30 1,000–2,200 m30 Addition approved by the EU, 201835
Café de Santander No. 00050042, 25 August 201428 69 municipalities of Santander (our count)31 900–2,300 m31 Addition approved by the EU, 202036,34
Café de Tolima No. 2458, 30 January 201728 38 municipalities of Tolima (our count)32 Not stated in the rules of use32 Not found
Café de La Sierra Nevada No. 2484, 30 January 201728 Magdalena, La Guajira and Cesar, according to the FNC33 Not consulted Not found

The Huila rules of use place the area between 1°33′ and 3°42′N.30 The Tolima rules give no altitude band of their own; they refer to the application filed with the SIC.32

Experiment stations#

Cenicafé’s harvest and variety studies draw on its network of experiment stations. A 2015 Cenicafé study gives the location of nine of them.8 The 1999 bulletin on harvest months used the six stations of the central region, with altitudes rounded to 1,250–1,600 m.10

Station Municipality, department Latitude Longitude Altitude (m)
Pueblo Bello Pueblo Bello, Cesar 10°25′N8 73°34′W8 1,1348
Santander Floridablanca, Santander 7°06′N8 73°04′W8 1,5398
El Rosario Venecia, Antioquia 5°58′N8 75°42′W8 1,6358
Naranjal Chinchiná, Caldas 4°58′N8 75°39′W8 1,3818
Santa Bárbara Sasaima, Cundinamarca 4°56′N8 74°25′W8 1,4788
La Trinidad Líbano, Tolima 4°54′N8 75°02′W8 1,4538
La Catalina Pereira, Risaralda 4°45′N8 75°44′W8 1,3218
Paraguaicito Buenavista, Quindío 4°24′N8 75°44′W8 1,2038
El Tambo El Tambo, Cauca 2°24′N8 76°44′W8 1,7358

Neither source gives annual rainfall for the stations.8,10 The 1999 bulletin gives slightly different positions and altitudes for the same six stations, for example 1,600 m for El Rosario and 1,400 m for Naranjal.10

The rust epidemic of 2008–2011#

A 2015 review dates it to 2008–2011 in Colombia.17 Production fell by 31% on average in those years, compared with 2007.17 The same review covers the epidemics in Central America up to 2013; Coffee leaf rust treats both together.

Weather. La Niña conditions prevailed in Colombia from 2008 to 2011.17 Cenicafé names the change in climatic conditions under La Niña as the main reason for the epidemics.16 Coffee above 1,600 m, where rust had been accepted as no problem, was unusually affected.17

Damage. In susceptible varieties without control, rust causes losses of up to 30%, according to Cenicafé.16 In 2012, Cenicafé noted that the varieties Colombia and Castillo still showed high resistance in the field.16

Renovation. The response was replanting. By the time of the 2015 review, more than 300,000 of 600,000 ha of susceptible coffee had been replaced, mainly with Castillo.17 More than 60% of the fields were then planted with resistant varieties.17 The FNC reports 74% in January 2017, 87.8% in 2024/25 and 88% in 2025.6,5,4

How the 2008/09 shortfall moved the price premium for Colombian coffee is covered in Differentials.

Climate risk and projections#

Colombian coffee depends on the rainfall pattern of the Andes. Temperature extremes of 13 °C and 32 °C stop growth and production, according to a 2015 Cenicafé study.8 Potential production varies with El Niño, La Niña and neutral years.8 The rust epidemic followed La Niña17, and La Niña conditions returned in 2025.4 In 2025/26, excessive rain and cloud cover lowered yields.1

A 2015 modelling study projected arabica suitability to the 2050s. For Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, areas below 1,800 m become less suitable.18 The three countries gain some suitable areas at higher elevations.18 Overall, the Andean countries lose 16–20% of their current suitable area, against 25% in Brazil.18

These are model projections, not forecasts by Coffearium. Global projections for the whole belt are in The coffee belt.

Reference values#

Parameter Value Source
Production, USDA 14.8 (2024/25), 12.5 (2025/26), 13.4 forecast (2026/27) million 60-kg bags USDA1
Production, FNC 14.9 million bags (coffee year 2024/25); 13.7 million (calendar year 2025) FNC5,4
Production, FAO 839,847 t (2024; ≈14.0 million bags, our calculation) FAO3
Share of world output 7.0% (2025/26, USDA); 7.5% (2024, FAO); our calculation USDA1, FAO3
Species Arabica only USDA1, OFAG11
Exports 13.3 million bags (2024/25); 13.14 million (2025); 12.8 million, of which 11.7 million green (USDA, 2025/26) FNC5,4, USDA1
Domestic consumption 2.26 million bags (2024/25); 2.28 million (2025) FNC5,4
Imports 2.2 million bags (2025/26) USDA1
Area ≈840,000 ha (2026); 931,746 ha (FNC, Jan 2017) MAPA7, FNC6
Producers ≈540,000 families (2026); 555,692 families (FNC, Jan 2017) MAPA7, FNC6
Smallholders, average area 96% of producers small; 1.3 ha average (FNC, Jan 2017) FNC6
Coffee departments 22 of 32 (FNC, Jan 2017); 23 listed in the PGI specification FNC6, OFAG11
Latitude 1–11°N; PGI area 1°00′–11°15′N, 72°00′–78°00′W Cenicafé8, OFAG11
Altitude band 800–2,000 m; ≈1,000 m (north) to 2,000 m (south); PGI 400–2,500 m Cenicafé8,9, OFAG11
Harvest, south (1–3°N) Main harvest in the first half of the year; mitaca in the second (map class) Cenicafé9
Harvest, central south (3–5°N) Two harvests, one in each half of the year Cenicafé9
Harvest, central north (5–7°N) Two harvests, larger in the second half Cenicafé9
Harvest, north (7–10°N) One harvest, second half of the year Cenicafé9
Harvest months, central region (six stations) Main: August–December; mitaca: March–May Cenicafé10
Flowering to harvest 210–224 days OFAG11
Yield 22.27 bags/ha (2024/25); 21.03 bags/ha (2025) FNC5,4
Resistant varieties 74% (Jan 2017); 87.8% (2024/25); 88% (2025) FNC6,5,4
Average tree age 6.3 years (2025) FNC4
Rust epidemic 2008–2011; production −31% on average against 2007 Avelino et al. 201517
Export grade, Excelso Above screen 14, tolerance 1.5% below FNC Resolution 5/200220
Export defects ≤ 72 defective beans per 500 g FNC Resolution 5/200220
Export moisture ≤ 12% (basis not stated; dielectric meter) FNC Resolution 5/200220
Fermentation (PGI) Usually 12–18 h OFAG11
Drying (PGI) ≤ 55 °C OFAG11
Protected name EU PGI 2007; Switzerland 2013 EU12, OFAG11
World Heritage Coffee Cultural Landscape, inscribed 2011 UNESCO13
Largest departments by area (2017) Huila 147,805 ha; Antioquia 123,257 ha; Tolima 112,867 ha MADR-Agronet27
Regional denominations of origin Six, declared by the SIC 2011–2017 CAN list28
Regional denominations under the EU trade agreement Addition to the trade agreement approved by the EU: Nariño, Cauca, Huila (2018); Santander (2020) EU35,36

Open questions#

  • Current farm structure. The most recent farm-size figures consulted for this entry are FNC figures published in January 2017.6 No source consulted gives the 2025 share of smallholders or the average farm size.
  • Variety shares. The FNC’s 2017 figures give Caturra 22% of the area, and areas for Castillo, Colombia and Típica without a unit.6 No source consulted gives current shares of Castillo, Cenicafé 1 or Tabi.
  • The Jesuit story. The FNC credits Jesuits with bringing coffee in the 18th century.23 A 2019 study of Jesuit estates in the Cúcuta valley, 1750–1830, describes an economy concentrated on cacao.25 No document consulted for this entry records Jesuit coffee in Colombia.
  • Harvest months by zone. Cenicafé’s zoning gives halves of the year, not months.9 Months were measured for the central region only.10
  • Yield statistics. FNC and FAO yields differ by about a third; no source consulted reconciles them.
  • Departmental figures. The most recent department table consulted is for 2017 and gives no producer numbers.27 No source consulted gives current area, producers or production by department.
  • Regional denominations. The rules of use of Café de Cauca and Café de La Sierra Nevada were not consulted for this entry, so their areas and altitude bands are not given here.

Key studies#

Avelino et al., 2015 – The rust crises in Colombia and Central America. Quantifies the production losses of the 2008–2013 epidemics and traces them to low profitability and weather. In Colombia, production fell by 31% on average in 2008–2011 against 2007, under La Niña conditions, and over half the susceptible area was replanted.

Food Security 7, 303–321 · doi:10.1007/s12571-015-0446-9

Ovalle-Rivera et al., 2015 – Shifts in arabica suitability. Modelled where arabica can grow in the main producing regions under 2050s climates. In the Andes, land below 1,800 m loses suitability while some higher land gains; the Andean countries lose 16–20% of their suitable area.

PLoS ONE 10(4), e0124155 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0124155

García et al., 2015 – Arabica genotypes across Colombian environments. Tested arabica genotypes at several Cenicafé stations in a coffee zone it places at 1–11°N and 800–2,000 m. The study describes how the two wet seasons set two harvest periods and how El Niño, La Niña and neutral years shaped potential production.

Revista Cenicafé 66(2), 30–57 · cenicafe.org

Sanz Uribe et al., 2018 – Harvest zones and picking. A Cenicafé bulletin on harvest labour that maps when coffee is picked across Colombia. It divides the coffee zone into four bands of latitude, from a first-half harvest in the south to a single second-half harvest in the north.

Avance Técnico 488, Cenicafé · biblioteca.cenicafe.org

Contested
  • Altitude of the coffee zone: a 2015 Cenicafé study gives 800–2,000 m8; a 2018 Cenicafé technical bulletin gives about 1,000 m in the north to 2,000 m in the south9; the specification of the protected geographical indication allows 400–2,500 m.11 The first two describe where coffee is grown, the third the legal limits of the name.
  • Months of the two harvests in central Colombia: a 1999 Cenicafé bulletin based on six experiment stations has the main harvest from August to December and the mitaca from March to May10; Harvest calendars cites a 2025 USDA report with October–December and April–June. The bulletin measured harvests at stations; the USDA report describes national peaks.
  • Size of the crop: USDA gives 14.8 million bags for marketing year 2024/25 (October–September)1, the FNC 14.9 million for coffee year 2024/255, and FAO 839,847 t for calendar year 2024, which is 14.0 million bags (our calculation).3 The datasets use different years and methods.
  • Yield per hectare: the FNC reports 22.27 bags of green coffee per hectare for 2024/255; FAO statistics give 1,003 kg/ha (about 16.7 bags) for 2024 (see Coffee yields). Neither source consulted here states which area it divides by.
  • First exports: according to the FNC, the first bags were exported through the Cúcuta customs house in 183523; a history published by Colombia’s central bank states that coffee had been exported in small quantities since 1830 and earlier.22
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Sources

  1. AUSDA Foreign Agricultural Service (2026). Coffee: World Markets and Trade (July 2026). United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service.
  2. AFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); processed by Our World in Data (2026). Coffee bean production (FAOSTAT, Crops and livestock products, item Coffee, green). FAO via Our World in Data.
  3. AFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2026). FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products (item “Coffee, green”, element “Production”, 2024). FAO, licence CC BY 4.0.
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  8. AGarcía L., J. C.; Posada S., H. E.; Salazar V., F. A. (2015). Factores de producción que influyen en la respuesta de genotipos de Coffea arabica L. bajo diversas condiciones ambientales de Colombia. Revista Cenicafé 66(2), 30–57.
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  13. AUNESCO World Heritage Committee (2011). Decision 35 COM 8B.43: Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia (Colombia). UNESCO World Heritage Centre, 35th session.
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  15. AFlórez R., C. P.; Maldonado L., C. E.; Cortina G., H. A.; Moncada B., M. P.; Montoya R., E. C.; Ibarra R., L. N.; Unigarro M., C. A.; Rendón S., J. R. (2016). Cenicafé 1: nueva variedad de porte bajo, altamente productiva, resistente a la roya y al CBD, con mayor calidad física del grano (Avance Técnico 469). Cenicafé (Colombian Coffee Research Centre).
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  17. AAvelino, J.; Cristancho, M.; Georgiou, S.; Imbach, P.; Aguilar, L.; Bornemann, G.; Läderach, P.; Anzueto, F.; Hruska, A. J.; Morales, C.; et al. (2015). The coffee rust crises in Colombia and Central America (2008–2013): impacts, plausible causes and proposed solutions. Food Security 7, 303–321. doi:10.1007/s12571-015-0446-9 · other copies
  18. AOvalle-Rivera, O.; Läderach, P.; Bunn, C.; Obersteiner, M.; Schroth, G. (2015). Projected Shifts in Coffea arabica Suitability among Major Global Producing Regions Due to Climate Change. PLoS ONE 10(4), e0124155. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0124155 · other copies
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  27. AMinisterio de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural (MADR), Agronet; data from the FNC Sistema de Información Cafetera (SICA) Café: área sembrada, área cosechada, producción y rendimiento del cultivo de café según departamento, 2016–2017. Agronet, Ministerio de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural de Colombia.
  28. ASecretaría General de la Comunidad Andina (2024). Listado de Denominaciones de Origen de la Comunidad Andina (primera edición). Comunidad Andina, Lima.
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  30. AFederación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (2013). Reglamento de uso de la Denominación de Origen Café del Huila. Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia.
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  32. AFederación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (2015). Reglamento de uso de la Denominación de Origen Café de Tolima. Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia.
  33. BFederación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia Regional denomination of origin. Café de Colombia (FNC).
  34. ASuperintendencia de Industria y Comercio (SIC) (2021). Rice from the Meseta of Ibagué and Coffee from Santander now protected in the European Union. Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio, Colombia.
  35. AEuropean Commission (2018). Commission Decision (EU) 2018/1733 of 14 November 2018 approving, on behalf of the European Union, the modification of Appendix 1 to Annex XIII to the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, of the other part. European Union (CELEX 32018D1733); read through the Lexaris mirror of EU law.
  36. AEuropean Commission (2020). Commission Decision (EU) 2020/1301 of 17 September 2020 approving, on behalf of the European Union, the modification of Appendix 1 to Annex XIII to the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, of the other part. European Union (CELEX 32020D1301); read through the Lexaris mirror of EU law.
  37. AServicio Geológico Colombiano Generalidades del volcán Nevado del Ruiz. Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC).
  38. AServicio Geológico Colombiano Generalidades del volcán Nevado del Huila. Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC).

Tier A · authoritative · B · trade and expert · C · general. Supporting quotes for every source are in the data version of this entry. If a publisher’s site refuses access, try the doi link or “other copies”.

The literature for this entry was last searched on 30 Oct 2026. A statement that no source consulted for this entry shows something refers to the sources above; newer or missing work may exist.

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