Colombia 2026/27 Main Crop Update

This article at a glance 

• Colombia's 2026/27 main crop is about to start, with expected volumes compared to 25/26 after erratic weather disrupted flowering. 
• Forest fires and an earthquake have added new risks this season, though the National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC) is leading recovery efforts and volumes are expected to hold. 
• Sucafina’s IMPACT Responsible Sourcing program now covers 25 verified supply chains in Colombia, with new suppliers starting verification processes this year.  
  

A season shaped by erratic weather

"This has been an irregular year for flowering," says Oscar Hurtado. "We had heavy rain across the first quarter, then the pattern flipped to moderate dryness through the second and third quarters. That kind of swing doesn't give the crop much room to recover."

Heavy rain in February and March hit right as the coffee trees were flowering, cutting into the crop's potential from the outset. Then in June and July, moderate dryness limited the recovery the crop needed, following an already smaller 2025/26 harvest. This poor flowering performance has disappointingly limited growth through the current cycle, leaving volume expectations fairly flat – around what they were last year.   

Quality is expected to hold at exportable grade, though a notch below the previous main crop. Coffee borer and pasillas are nudging up low-grade rates slightly across the total mass. Hurtado points further ahead for the bigger quality question: "The real test will come with the next Mitaca, once El Niño is at its peak and influencing the main coffee-growing areas directly."

On timing, the harvest should open in October as usual, this year concentrating more heavily in November and December, with a marked drop-off through February and March as the main crop closes out.

Wildfires add a new layer of risk

Dry conditions have brought a new concern into the mix. Forest fires have increased sharply over the past month, with the potential to reach coffee-growing areas, particularly Valle del Cauca, Tolima, Cundinamarca and parts of the Coffee Axis. Colombia's government has stepped up efforts to keep the risk from spreading further.

Recovering from the earthquake

The coffee industry was also tested by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake affecting wide growing regions spanning Valle del Cauca, Quindío, Risaralda, Caldas, Antioquia and Chocó. Preliminary figures show more than 8,000 farms were affected, with less than 9% of these encountering total damage and the rest sustaining only partial damage.

The Federación Nacional de Cafeteros (Colombia’s National Coffee Federation) is leading the sector's response, working closely with the national government to support affected families as quickly as possible. "We're confident the region will be able to deliver next season's main crop without production impacts," says Hurtado.

IMPACT: verification on track, pipeline expanding

Our Sustainability Team’s work with established supply chains continued on an upward trend this year. For partners going through re-verification, our team ran tailored refresher trainings and prioritized direct technical assistance with key partners including Global Cafés, López del Sur and Asprotimaná. For partners going through re-verification, our team ran tailored refresher trainings and prioritized direct technical assistance with key partners including Global Cafés, López del Sur and Asprotimaná.

We're also welcoming two new supplier partners into the pipeline. One now has a dedicated field technician leading implementation and has completed its initial onboarding for the program, supported by a newly onboarded field officer guiding producers through verification standards. The other remains in the preliminary scoping and engagement phase, with next steps still being defined.

"Our IMPACT pipeline in Colombia keeps building real momentum," says Sara Ocampo, Sustainability Manager, CAMP & Colombia. "Bringing partners like Coopeancafé through onboarding while supporting our established groups through re-verification shows how the program keeps growing without losing depth."

Progress across key sustainability projects

Work on increasing yields through stumping is now built into our broader regenerative agriculture workshops, reinforcing farm renovation and productivity in the field. As part of our commitment to our IMPACT goal of Forest Conservation, we are currently uploading and validating polygon data on the Meridia platform. This activity also prepares us for the upcoming implementation of the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Deforestation risk remains low, and attention is now focused on spatial compliance around protected areas and indigenous community territories.

Sucafina is also mapping its carbon footprint in Colombia, working with the Sucafina Global Team to build a comprehensive Progress Data Report that lays the groundwork for future low-carbon coffee offerings.


For timing, volumes or anything else related to the upcoming crop, reach out to your trader to discuss availability and booking options.