Winter weather hits coffee harvest

Mexico’s national union of coffee producers has more than 220,000 members. The nation’s coffee harvest runs from October to March, with December and January the peak harvesting months. Freezing temperatures in coffee-growing regions this winter (2009/10) have producers worried. The cooler than expected weather is expected to reduce production by up to 80,000 60-kg sacks. The total harvest is expected to be around 3.45 million sacks, well down from the 4.6 million recorded in 2008/9.