Of the major producers in the region, Nicaragua was the most affected, having exported 64% less in the first four months of the harvest.
Except for Brazil coffee exports from nine countries in Latin America fell by 8% during the first four months of the harvest which began in October compared with the same period of the previous cycle. Nicaragua was the most affected with a fall of 64 % in sales of the grain.
In October 2012 80,771 bags of coffee weighing 60 kilos were exported compared to 129,471 bags in the same month in 2012.
The data was confirmed by the National Coffee Association (Anacafé) . The current season began in October 2013 and ended in September 2014.
" ... Sales of the 2012-2013 coffee harvest totaled 3,706,622 bags of 60 kilos, a slight decrease compared to the 3,719,829 bags sold last season, despite plantations having been ravaged by the rust blight," reported Elperiodico.com.gt review.
The sum of exports from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Peru was lower by 2.28% compared to the same period in the previous harvest.
From the National Coffee Association (Anacafe):
The Guatemalan Anacafé outlined in a statement that their exports of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Colombia and Peru totaled 20,709,455 bags of 60 kilos from October 2011 to last June .
In the first month of current crop harvest, exports fell by 15.84% over the same period of the previous year.
Last October foreign sales totaled 70,028 bags (60 kilo bags), 15.84% less than the 83,211 bags exported in October 2009, according to the National Coffee Association (Anacafe).
"During the previous harvest (October 2009 to September 2010), Guatemalan producers exported a total of 3,444,053 bags," reports Sigloxxi.com.