Mexico

Mexico

Mexico is a major Arabica producer with high R&R need due to ageing trees and exposure to La Roya

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R&R Need

~40% of land is in need of R&R, ~7% of global need

SHF land in R&R need

‘000 hectares

406,000 ha No need
294,000 ha R&R need

Need is driven by the age of trees and exposure to disease (~15% of coffee land was affected by La Roya), and to a lesser extent by climate change.

Current SHF yield & potential uplift

Tons per hectare

0.22
0.44
Current yield
Target yield

Uplift potential

+100%

Significant uplift potential given low current SHF yields.

Potential increase in supply

~5-15%

Total national supply could increase ~5-15% if R&R and GAP is implemented on all SHF land in need of R&R 2


Notes:

(1) The current yield is calculated on the basis of SHF production divided by SHF land area, the potential yield uplift is based on an internal estimate based on other mixed countries and current yields.

(2) Rounded to the nearest 5%, estimate assumes that R&R and GAP increase yields with 86%, and the range reflects a 25 - 100% R&R success rate sources: FAO Statistics database; ICO statistics; Hector Manuel Robles Berlanga, Los Productores de Café en Mexico: Problematica y Ejercicion del Presupuesto, Mexican Rural Development Research Reports, 2011; AGARPA, Plan Integral de Atencion al Café (PIAC), 2015; FIRA, Panorama Agroalimentario, 2016; Dalberg interviews

Other Viability Considerations

  • Circa 70% of SHFs are considered poor. Coffee regions suffer from high poverty rates, and are underserved by basic infrastructure.
  • A minority of SHFs practice intercropping. The majority rely exclusively on coffee.
  • Most SHFs produce coffee unmechanized.

Farmer Segmentation

Most SHFs are at the bottom of the pyramid

  1. Large & medium farmers
  2. Commercial farmers in tight value chains
  3. Commercial farmers in loose value chains
  4. Disconnected farmers

National production is split between large and medium farmers and SHFs.

More than 85% of farmers are SHFs, but they own less than 50% of the coffee growingareas. They are typically disconnected.

# SHFs

‘000

230

~2.5% of global SHF1

# SHF land

‘000 hectares

420

(~60% of national land) – farm size typically ~0.5 hectares

# SHF production

‘000 hectares

85

(~40% of national production)

Assessment of SHF orgs.

Coops usually have low capacity to provide TA - ~25% of SHFs are in a coop.

Links to market

A majority of SHFs are linked to the market through “coyotes”, lenders that charge extremely high interest rates.


Notes:
(1) Assuming a global SHF population of 20 million – estimates of farmers are high-level only and vary significantly. Sources: FAO Statistics database; ICO statistics; Hector Manuel Robles Berlanga, Los Productores de Café en Mexico: Problematica y Ejercicion del Presupuesto, Mexican Rural Development Research Reports, 2011; SAGARPA, Plan Integral de Atencion al Café (PIAC), 2015; FIRA, Panorama Agroalimentario, 2016; Dalberg interviews.

Enabling Environment for R&R

  • Coffee share of GDP: N/A [Coffee share of exports: 0.1% (2015)].
  • Mexico does not have dedicated coffee institutions. The coffee policy is managed by the Secretary of Agriculture (SAGARPA).
  • Since 2015, SAGARPA has been leading a significant plan (integrated program for Coffee) to support and reshape the coffee sector. Coffee has become a national priority.
  • Coffee share of GDP: N/A [Coffee share of exports: 0.1% (2015)].
  • Mexico does not have dedicated coffee institutions. The coffee policy is managed by the Secretary of Agriculture (SAGARPA).
  • Mexico does not have dedicated coffee institutions. The coffee policy is managed by the Secretary of Agriculture (SAGARPA).
  • Since 2015, SAGARPA has been leading a significant plan (integrated program for Coffee) to support and reshape the coffee sector. Coffee has become a national priority.
  • Coffee share of GDP: N/A [Coffee share of exports: 0.1% (2015)].
  • Mexico does not have dedicated coffee institutions. The coffee policy is managed by the Secretary of Agriculture (SAGARPA).
  • Since 2015, SAGARPA has been leading a significant plan (integrated program for Coffee) to support and reshape the coffee sector. Coffee has become a national priority.

Examples of R&R programs

In Mexico, past R&R programs have focused on renovating areas affected by La Roya

SAGARPA - Integrated Program for Coffee, PIAC
(2015-2019)

R&R is one of the PIAC components. PIAC aims to develop certified nurseries to supply producers with quality disease-resistant plants, to renovate coffee plantations, and to provide maintenance and rehabilitation of existing crops.

Root Capital – Coffee Farmer Resilience Initiative
(since 2013)

Root Capital lent USD 1.1 million to farmer organizations in Mexico and trained them to deliver loans to their members.

Neumann Kaffee Gruppe – Por Mas Café
(since 2014)

NKG’s exporting company in Mexico partners with a local bank to provide loans for renovation to farmers in its supply chain.

Learn more and get involved

There is a lot of work to be done to ensure the long-term supply of coffee from countries where the crop has long shaped the social and economic fabric. Learning to extend the life of their trees and improve yields helps farmers stabilize annual production and in turn, income, while the rest of the world benefits from a steady supply of quality coffee. Continue on to learn more about the immediate attention and action that is required to make this a reality.