Coffee buyers who turned to Central America for quality Arabica beans last year when Colombian output sank to three-decade lows are likely to stick with their new isthmus suppliers even as output recovers in Colombia.
Colombia, the world's No 1 producer of top quality mild washed Arabica, saw output fall to 7.8 million bags in 2009 from 11.4 million bags in 2008. As bad weather and a program to plant new trees cut Colombia's harvest, roasters sought out Central America's premium Arabica coffee beans.
Colombia expects output to recover to around 10 million bags this year, but that remains below levels seen in the past. Jitters about supply will allow Central America to remain a reliable alternative, buyers, exporters, and growers say. "I have no doubt that new relationships (in Central America) were built and will remain," said Christian Wolthers, of green coffee buyer Wolthers America Inc.