An Update to the Current Situation at Colombia

We have visited the Mill and went out to the interior, prepared to face the hot weather. As from the day we arrived in Colombia, as good Dutch traders we took along some rains from Holland and

the temperature dropped, honestly I have never experienced “cold” weather during the day. Nevertheless traveling throughout the beautiful mountains you notice very much the effects of the hot summer.

Colombia is always very green and now you see dry area’s, whereby parts of the green turned brown.

Visiting the farmers at higher altitude the problem of eventually drought is not heavy, at these levels the humidity gives natural irrigation. Meaning for the Huila region the dry weather is a lesser problem than other regions

in the country. We are facing other issues, which are more a matter of adaption to a kind of new situation in the developing of the crops and the time frame. Out of history we are used to the main crop starting in October and throughout November, December and January the peak moments. Due to the renovation plan, new a/o different types of coffee threes, the process of ripping is different and therefore the availability is more stressed out, less to no peaks in the production.

This is explained or experienced as limited coffee is available and every bean is being bought aggressively and with high internal prices. It feels like there is no coffee left, as normally during this season Pitalito, the hart of the Coffee center

in the south of Huila, has not even half the activity with trucks/horses/jeeps/cars/motors bringing coffee down from the farmers.

Driving through the region and visiting different farms you see that on the high altitude 70 % has been picked, but on lower altitudes only 50 % is picked so far. The concern they have from the hot summer is the development of the size of the bean.

But if rains continue now as normal, the trees recuperate very quickly and we face a good fly crop (mitaca).

The Colombians need to adjust to the different time frame of the development of the crops. Overall they will have a good quantity and quality season.

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