Colombia Produces World-Famous Coffee but Drinks Far Less Than Other Countries

Colombia is renowned for its coffee, yet its citizens consume far less coffee domestically than countries like Brazil, Costa Rica, and Norway. The average Colombian drinks just 2.67 kilograms of coffee annually, while Brazilians consume 6.64 kilograms and Norwegians consume an impressive 8.18 kilograms. At the 90th Coffee Summit in Cartagena, the executive president of Colombia's coffee exporters, Gustavo Gomez Montero, lamented the need for a stronger domestic market, as the industry faces challenges such as a smaller harvest, a weaker currency, and a proposed 19% tax on coffee.

The gap between Colombia's coffee production and consumption is stark, with the country producing 12.56 million sacks in the last year, down from 14.74 million sacks the previous year. Meeting domestic demand comparable to Brazil's while maintaining exports would require production of up to 20 million sacks annually, more than double Colombia's current output.

Efforts to boost consumption could include including coffee in school meals and hotels, as well as educating consumers about its health benefits. However, increased domestic demand could strain the sector financially, as the dollar's decline has already cost coffee-producing regions over $620 million in income and coffee prices have fallen 32%.