Colombia’s earthquake has disrupted a road carrying about 60 per cent of the country’s coffee exports and interrupted operations at a key Pacific port, adding to concerns for the world’s third-biggest producer as growers brace for El Niño.
The epicentre of the 7.4 magnitude earthquake was close to the country’s coffee-growing heartland. The country provides about a fifth of US coffee imports and plays an outsized global role as the top producer of high-quality mild-washed Arabica, used by Starbucks and other major roasters.
The road linking the coffee region to the Pacific port of Buenaventura, which handles most of Colombia’s coffee exports, was affected by the earthquake, according to Oliver Broster, senior manager for coffee analysis at Expana, adding that the impact is still being assessed.