New incentives to restore coffee production levels

• The National Federation of Coffee Growers and the National Government spent an additional $13,500 million pesos to encourage fertilization.
• Through the program "FERTI-YA, growers will receive a 20% discount on the purchase of fertilizers.  
• In February, coffee production equalled 648,000 bags of 60 kilograms, a higher production level compared with January.  
• In February Colombia's coffee exports totaled 555,000 bags.

Bogota March 11, 2010 (Press-FNC) .- As of today, coffee farmers have more resources to improve the fertilization of their coffee and consolidate the recovery of production in 2010.

The National Federation of Coffee Growers and the National Government, in compliance of the Coffee Agreement 2008-2011, allocated an additional $ 13.500 million to develop this incentive program dedicated especially to improving fertilization.

Production

Coffee production in the Colombian regions has begun to improve in the second month of the year. In February, production totalled 648,000 bags, although this figure is 25% lower compared to the same month last year, it equals133,000 bags higher than the total recorded in January 2010.

Exports

According to export records, sales abroad for the first two months of 2010 reached 1,096,000 bags of 60 kg with February totaling 555,000 bags.