Despite Peru’s increase in agricultural exports, coffee shipments are expected to decrease in 2012. Eduardo Montauban, general manager of the Peruvian Chamber of Coffee and Cocoa (CPC), said the volume of coffee grain shipments would fall by 15 percent this year.

According to estimates by the CPC, the price of coffee, which is determined on the international market, is also expected to fall.

The chamber said the average price per bag would be $180 this year, down from the $250 per bag in 2011, reported Gestión.

"Coffee is a cyclical plant, it is normal that one year it has a good production and the next year a bad one,” Montauban said.

“In [Peru’s] center and south, which accounts for 45 percent of national production, low productivity is troubling.”

However, Montauban said he thought Peru’s coffee output looked positive in the long term.

"In 20 years we can catch up to Colombia because we have areas available and they do not. We can be a [coffee] power and double production.”

“There are possibilities, but we need to be more competitive. We need roads and infrastructure. Moreover, we need land titling in order to access credit.”

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