Veracruz Coffee Growers Protest Imports, Demand Market Controls

Coffee producers from Veracruz staged a new protest in Xalapa, demanding tighter controls on low-quality coffee imports that they say are displacing Mexican coffee in the domestic market and undermining farm incomes.

Cirilo Elotlán, Member of the Regional Coffee Council of Coatepec, said imports for the current cycle are expected to reach about 2.5 million bags. He warned that reduced tariffs and rising production in countries including Brazil, Indonesia, India and Uganda have pushed down Robusta prices, raising the risk that Mexico could import more coffee than it produces. He said this trend is further displacing national coffee from the internal market.

Producers rejected what they described as the growing consumption of “junk coffee,” arguing that much of the imported coffee is blended with lower-quality domestic coffee and industrially processed with additives, flavorings and artificial sweeteners to make it more palatable. They said at least 60% of national consumption consists of instant coffee, a segment dominated by large commercial brands.

Growers also denounced the sale of low-quality cappuccino-style products that contain minimal amounts of instant coffee, while replacing ingredients such as powdered milk with flours and additives. They said this practice directly affects producers and national brands that comply with quality standards.

Elotlán also alleged that low-quality coffee from countries such as Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia is being imported, relabeled as Mexican coffee and exported to the United States and Europe to avoid tariffs, with part of that coffee remaining in the domestic market. “What concerns us and causes total indignation is that, according to these statistics, they are importing around 3 million bags,” he said.

Beyond imports, producers demanded that federal and state authorities ensure companies do not depress purchase prices for coffee cherries as the current harvest advances, a practice they said occurs every year under claims of processing plant saturation. They recalled that during the previous cycle, companies applied unjustified discounts linked to a supposed 25% export tariff that was never implemented, directly affecting producer income.

Growers compared Mexico’s commercialization costs with those of other producing countries, noting that expenses in Colombia and Honduras average about US$45 per quintal, while some companies in Mexico apply discounts of up to US$150 per quintal. They described the difference as a commercial abuse that has not been addressed by authorities.

Producers also called for the effective enforcement of Mexico’s new Coffee Law. They urged the ministries of Economy, Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER), and Environment (SEMARNAT) to immediately begin implementation measures, including the creation of a new national coffee registry, tighter oversight of imports, stronger standards for domestic consumption, support for plantation renewal, promotion of producer associations, access to higher-value markets, and economic recognition of the environmental benefits of shade-grown coffee.