Mexico Sets Sights on Global Coffee Leadership

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) aims to position Mexico among the world’s Top 5 coffee producers in the coming years through its Harvesting Sovereignty program. During the first edition of the National Coffee Convention held in Puebla, Santiago Arguello, General Coordinator of Agricultural and Livestock Production, SADER, highlighted that although Mexico is currently the 11th largest coffee producer globally, the implementation of this program, which aims to double production from 4 to 8 million 60kg sacks, could place the country in the global Top 5 by 2030.

Arguello explained that coffee production alone will receive an investment of MX$1.2 billion (US$62.6 million). This initiative, in conjunction with the Fertilizers for Well-Being program, field schools, and public-private partnerships, will implement measures to support more than 350,000 coffee producers across the country. The goal is to make production more sustainable and resilient to pests, while also ensuring fairer trade by setting reference prices and eliminating middlemen.

He also noted that producers have access to credit for coffee plantation renewal, which includes price coverage, an additional safeguard against market volatility. “What is important is that under this program, producers will have access to price coverage that allows them to meet their production costs, harvest with confidence, and gain certainty in the commercialization of their crop,” Arguello stated.

On the domestic front, SADER aims to increase national coffee consumption to 2kg per person per year, while also boosting exports. In this regard, Arguello emphasized that Mexico is already recognized for quality in international markets. “We are seeing demand in non-traditional markets in Asia, for example, South Korea, China, and Japan, which is now our second most important trading partner after our northern neighbors. Even Australia and New Zealand are buying certified Mexican coffee,” he celebrated.

The Ministry of Rural Development of the State of Puebla explained that the convention aims to promote sustainable and profitable coffee farming with positive social and economic impacts for small-scale farming families. Arguello praised the work of over 53,000 coffee producers in Puebla, who cultivate over 62,000ha, making Puebla one of the country’s Top 4 coffee-producing states. “Their effort has driven and brought visibility to a vital activity within our agri-food sector,” he stated.

Ana Laura Altamirano, Minister of Rural Development, Puebla, highlighted that the state government is advancing a freeze-dried coffee transformation center, with the first samples showcased during the convention. She also underscored the efforts to strengthen the coffee value chain through investments in innovation, market access, and training for producers in sustainable techniques.

Finally, Arguello emphasized the important contribution of 350,000 coffee growers, many from Indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities. He also noted that by the end of the 2024 harvest, Mexico achieved an estimated national production of over 1.05Mt of cherry coffee, equivalent to more than 4 million 60kg sacks of green coffee.