Honduras’ year-on-year coffee exports in November soared 62.7 per cent from the same month last year, according to preliminary data from the national coffee institute IHCAFE published on Friday (Dec 1), driven up by previously agreed shipping commitments.

Shipments from Honduras, Central America’s largest exporter, reached 84,650 60-kilo bags in November compared to 52,023 in the same month in the 2022-2023 harvest, the data showed.

“November’s exports are due to previous shipping commitments with customers. We’re not talking about an increase in demand,” Miguel Pon, president of the Association of Coffee Exporters of Honduras, told Reuters.

He said that the coffee exported in the month was extracted from the “carry over” from the last harvest, which totaled 497,285 bags of 60 kilos. The current harvest has been delayed by rains and will start later this month, he added.

Honduras’ cumulative exports in November totaled 109,494 60-kilo bags, up 17.9 per cent from 92,865 in the same period in the last harvest.

Honduras plans to export some 4,983,333 60-kilo bags in the 2023-2024 harvest. The coffee season in Central America, which mostly produces higher-end arabica coffee, runs from October to September. REUTERS

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