Colombia’s Coffee Production Plunges 33% as Relentless Rains Cripple Exports
April 11 - 2026
Coffee Geography Magazine
A deluge of heavy rains that has submerged entire communities and triggered humanitarian emergencies across Colombia is now brewing a bitter crisis for the nation’s most iconic agricultural export: coffee. With the first quarter of 2026 in the books, industry leaders warn that the combination of a sodden climate, volatile prices, and soaring costs is creating a "perfect storm" for the country’s coffee growers.
What began as a somber warning on social media has solidified into stark economic reality. German Bahamon, general manager of the National Federation of Coffee Growers, took to X this week to sound the alarm. "The result of what Colombian coffee farming is facing today due to incessant rains was predictable: lower productivity," Bahamon wrote.
German Bahamon, general manager of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia
He added a grim prognosis for the rest of the year: "If we add to this depressed prices and costs at high levels, it confirms that the coffee business in 2026 will be very demanding."
The numbers paint a dramatic picture of decline. According to federation data, coffee production between January and March plummeted to 2.51 million 60-kilogram bags. That represents a staggering 33.5% drop compared to the 3.78 million bags produced during the same period in 2025.
March offered no relief. With only 754,000 bags produced, the month did not signal a temporary correction but rather cemented a troubling new baseline for the start of the year.
The damage extends beyond seasonal fluctuations. Looking at the coffee year—which runs from October to September—accumulated production from October 2025 through March 2026 stood at just 6.22 million bags, down sharply from 8.68 million bags in the previous cycle. Over the last twelve months, production has reached 12.41 million bags, a level that analysts say reflects a structural hit to the crop's viability.
The translation for international markets has been immediate and severe. With fewer beans to harvest, Colombia’s export capacity has eroded. Accumulated exports at the end of March reached only 2.56 million bags, a 29% reduction from the 3.59 million bags exported during the same period in 2025.
Perhaps the most telling sign of the domestic shortfall is a rare trend for a nation famed for its high-altitude arabica: Colombia is importing more coffee.
In March alone, coffee imports grew by 8%. Over the last twelve months, imports have reached 1.33 million bags—a volume virtually unheard of in recent history for a country that usually prides itself on self-sufficiency.
"This behavior shows an adjustment aimed at guaranteeing industrial supply, in a context where domestic production faces greater restrictions," Bahamon explained. In essence, Colombian roasters and instant coffee plants are turning to foreign beans to keep their own factories running, as local supply dries up.
The crisis is felt acutely in departments like Córdoba, where rain-related humanitarian tragedies have already made national headlines. For growers, the relentless precipitation has done more than just wash away roads; it has triggered landslides, fostered the spread of fungal diseases like Roya (coffee leaf rust), and knocked blossoms off trees, drastically reducing future yields.
As the federation braces for a "very demanding" year, the warning for the global coffee market is clear. With Colombia—the world's third-largest coffee producer—unable to fill its usual orders, and with the country actually needing to import beans, the pressure on global prices is expected to mount. For now, Colombian growers are left watching the skies, hoping for sun, and counting the cost of a season washed away.