Costa Rican coffee production expected to rise

Costa Rican coffee production is forecast to rise 5 percent during the 2009-2010 cycle, the Coffee Institute of Costa Rica (ICAFE) reported. The next production cycle, which begins its harvest in October, is expected to generate 1,671,270 bags of coffee.

“Each season we have a technical management team that visits each region where coffee is produced,” said Ronald Peters, ICAFE´s executive director. “They visit the fields and make an estimate for the next year. They expect that we will experience (an increase in production) in the coming year.”

The 2008-2009 harvest produced 1,591,477 bags, 60 kilograms each, falling short of the 1.595 million prediction for the year. Peters said the dry summer season and excessive rain in early May slowed production more than anticipated. The 2008-2009 harvest was 15 percent below the 2007-2008 crop, which produced 1.876 million bags.

“Production depends on many things,” said Peters. “If weather is uncooperative or production prices increase, numbers fall. It´s normal. We anticipate that this year we will have more favorable conditions.”

According the ICAFE, Costa Rica exports 86 percent of its total coffee production.