Costa Rican coffee production is forecast to increase by 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 million 60-kilogram bags of coffee.
“Each season we have a technical management team visit each region where coffee is produced,” said Ronald Peters, ICAFE’s executive director. “Team members visit the fields and make estimates for the next year. They expect that we will experience (an increase in production) in the coming year.”
The 2008-2009 production was 1,591,477 bags, falling just shy of the 1,595 million bags predicted for the year. Peters said the dry summer season and excessive rain in early May slowed production more than anticipated. The 2008-2009 production was 15 percent below the 2007-2008 crop of 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 to ICAFE, Costa Rica exports 86 percent of its total coffee production.
–Adam Williams
