Cuban Coffee Production: An Analysis from 1950 to 2017

Abstract

Coffee production in Cuba had its highest value in 1961, and since then it has steadily decreased. We evaluate Cuban coffee production from 1950 to 2017 through a chronological series of data production (production, yield) and cultivation areas, and determine the influence of the loss of productive areas on the productive values. In this period the evaluated variables decreased significantly. The maximum production reached 60,326 tonnes in 1961, and the minimum 4,973 tonnes in 2012. The maximum yield was 0.36 tonnes ha −1 in 1961 and the minimum was 0.08 tonnes ha −1 in 2005. The hectares of coffee plantations decreased from 185,947.52 in 1969 to 42,296 in 2017. This decrease explains 36.8% of the decline in production. We argue that this decline is mainly due to internal factors (armed conflicts, migration, inadequate management, and economic crisis). This multifactorial process and complex situation should be considered in future studies.