International News: El Niño expected to pose bigger threat to Colombia’s coffee harvest than earthquake
By Zoila Palma: Colombia’s coffee industry is expected to face greater losses from the developing El Niño weather pattern than from the powerful earthquake that struck the country earlier this month, according to the head of the National Coffee Growers Federation. Federation chief German Bahamon said that the August 10 earthquake caused significant damage in […] The post International News: El Niño expected to pose bigger threat to Colombia’s coffee harvest than earthquake appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Black News 
By Zoila Palma: Colombia’s coffee industry is expected to face greater losses from the developing El Niño weather pattern than from the powerful earthquake that struck the country earlier this month, according to the head of the National Coffee Growers Federation.
Federation chief German Bahamon said that the August 10 earthquake caused significant damage in coffee-producing areas but has not directly affected coffee production.
“Production itself is not affected by the earthquake. Production will very likely be affected by the El Niño phenomenon,” Bahamon told Reuters.
The weather pattern, which is associated with warmer Pacific Ocean temperatures, is expected to bring higher temperatures and disruptions to rainfall, creating additional challenges for farmers across Colombia.
The federation forecasts that Colombia’s coffee production could fall by about 8% this year to 12.5 million 60-kilogram bags, compared with 13.7 million bags in 2025. The decline is being attributed to heavy rains earlier in the year and the expected effects of El Niño.
Meanwhile, the earthquake killed 319 people and affected provinces responsible for about one-third of the country’s coffee production. Initial assessments found that around 10,500 coffee-growing families were in the disaster zone, with 8,000 reporting damage to homes or coffee-processing facilities.
Despite the destruction, coffee exports through Buenaventura, Colombia’s main coffee port, have returned to normal after temporary safety inspections and road closures. Bahamon said there have been no significant export problems.
Colombia, the world’s third-largest coffee producer and leading supplier of washed Arabica, supports approximately 540,000 coffee-growing families.
The post International News: El Niño expected to pose bigger threat to Colombia’s coffee harvest than earthquake appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
