Colombia Crop 2026: A Cautious Start in the Sierra Nevada

Colombia is entering the main harvest period of the second half of 2026, but the season does not begin at the same time across the country.

In the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, where Riosierra operates, the first pickings are only beginning. Availability is expected to increase gradually from October, with the main flow of coffee concentrated during the final quarter of 2026 and continuing into the first months of 2027.

At this early stage, however, the first arrivals are not yet representative enough to define the final volume or quality of the crop.

A Tighter National Supply

The broader Colombian production outlook remains more constrained than last year.

Between January and August 2026, Colombia produced approximately 7.73 million 60 kg bags, around 12% less than during the same period in 2025. Production over the previous 12 months reached approximately 12.58 million bags, 15% below the prior period.

Cenicafé currently projects approximately 12.2 million bags for calendar year 2026.

At the regional level, RioSierra is taking a similarly cautious view. During recent visits across the Sierra Nevada, suppliers, producer organizations, cooperatives, and other market participants repeatedly reported expectations of lower production and limited early availability.

These observations are commercially relevant, but they are not yet an official measurement of the Sierra Nevada harvest.

What We Are Seeing at Origin

The first coffees entering the market are showing several points that deserve attention.

RioSierra has received repeated reports of coffee berry borer in some early pickings, along with high yield factors. Both can reduce the proportion of usable Excelso coffee and increase the amount of parchment required to produce an exportable lot.

Availability is also entering the market slowly.

This does not mean the entire harvest will follow the same pattern. Early pickings are rarely representative of the main crop, and quality can vary significantly according to altitude, climate, agronomic management, variety, and harvest timing.

For this reason, we are avoiding broad conclusions until larger and more representative volumes begin to arrive.

Quality Before Commitment

One of the main lessons from previous seasons has been the importance of understanding the actual condition of the coffee before making a commercial commitment.

This year, RioSierra has strengthened its approach around early sample evaluation and confirmed physical availability.

Before purchase or final preparation, teams are reviewing indicators such as:

• Moisture

• Yield factor

• Screen size

• Physical defects

• Healthy bean percentage

• Coffee berry borer damage

• Cup quality

This helps determine whether a lot is suitable, what preparation can realistically be achieved, and how much commercial volume is actually available.

The objective is simple: to avoid offering coffee based only on expectations and instead work from verified quality and confirmed supply.

Preparing RioSierra for the New Crop

RioSierra completed a scheduled maintenance shutdown of the dry mill in August ahead of the new season.

The plant is now operational and prepared to receive new lots, both for RioSierra operations and for third-party milling services.

The team has also been meeting directly with suppliers and clients across the Sierra Nevada to better understand the conditions at the beginning of the harvest and identify potential opportunities and risks early.

Quality control, lot traceability, commercial coordination, logistics, and sample evaluation have all been reinforced ahead of the main harvest period.