3 weeks ago
Colombia Coffee Exports Halted After Deadly Earthquake
A very strong earthquake hit Colombia, a country that grows a lot of coffee.
The earthquake blocked roads and caused problems at Buenaventura, the main port Colombia uses to ship coffee to other countries.
Because the port is hard to reach right now, coffee exporters have had to stop shipping coffee for the time being.
No one knows exactly when the roads will be fixed and the port will reopen.
Other ports on the other side of the country are still working, but there are not enough trucks to carry the coffee to them.
The earthquake also caused power outages and internet problems in the areas where coffee is grown.
Some coffee workers have lost their homes in the earthquake.
People who buy and sell coffee around the world are watching closely, because these delays could change how much coffee costs or when it arrives.
Colombia usually sends about one million bags of coffee to other countries every month.
Once things reopen, coffee shipments may be delayed for a while as all the waiting coffee starts moving at once.
Colombian coffee exports are largely paused after a deadly earthquake disrupted operations at the main port of Buenaventura and blocked key highways.
Road blockages, especially around tunnels on the Cali-Buenaventura highway, have left the port effectively inaccessible, according to Gustavo Gomez of Asoexport.
Gomez said coffee export operations have stopped, with no formal communication on when the road will fully reopen.
Caribbean ports in Cartagena and Santa Marta reported no major disruptions, but rerouting coffee north is complicated by a severe shortage of trucks.
Arabica coffee futures in New York whipsawed from multiweek highs to slight losses as traders weighed supply impacts; Colombia produced 13.4 million 60-kg bags in 2025.
- Who
- Gustavo Gomez, head of the coffee exporters' group Asoexport, along with Colombian coffee exporters and port terminal managers.
- What
- A deadly earthquake largely halted Colombian coffee exports by disrupting Buenaventura, the main export port, and blocking key highways.
- Where
- Buenaventura port and the Cali-Buenaventura highway on Colombia's Pacific coast, with harvests concentrated in Cauca, Narino, Valle del Cauca and Huila.
- When
- Following a deadly earthquake; no specific date is given in the article.
- Why
- Road blockages, damage assessments at port terminals, electricity and connectivity outages, and a severe truck shortage disrupted coffee transport and export operations.
Key facts
- Main coffee export port
- Buenaventura
- Key affected route
- Cali-Buenaventura highway (tunnels blocked)
- Harvest regions affected
- Cauca, Narino, Valle del Cauca, Huila
- 2025 coffee output
- 13.4 million 60-kg bags
- Monthly export volume
- About 1 million 60-kg bags
- Other ports
- Cartagena and Santa Marta (no major disruptions reported)
- Export status
- Paused; no formal reopening date
- Colombia's rank
- World's second-largest Arabica coffee producer
Quotes
Gustavo Gomez
Head of Asoexport, the Colombian coffee exporters' association
“Coffee operations are currently paused. There may be some isolated operations, but at the moment the operation for exporting coffee has stopped, and there is no specific formal communication saying when the road will be fully reopened.”
livemint.com
Sources
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