Coffee producers are hoping that 2026 will be a year where the government expands support for the industry and ensures fair prices.

This article by Alexia Villaseñor was originally published in the January 12, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

The government programs Café Bienestar and Producción para el Bienestar represent minimal support for coffee producers, representatives of coffee growers pointed out.

According to official figures, there are just over 500,000 coffee producers in the country, but only 6,646 small coffee farmers from Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz and Guerrero are in Café Bienestar, which barely exceeds one percent.

Regarding the Production for Well-being program, which provides annual support of 6,200 pesos, “it only serves a little over 220,000 producers. Not even 50 percent of those nationwide. So, we propose that at least 400,000 should be supported,” stated Fernando Celis, a producer from the state of Veracruz.

Meanwhile, Arturo García, a producer from Guerrero, recalled that the coffee sector has been affected for decades by market behavior, as the price on the New York Stock Exchange has fallen at times to as low as $70 per 100 pounds, while at other times it reaches $400.

He added that “the aging of the farms and the producers is a reality; there is no generational replacement, and production is declining. Also contributing to this is the lack of an active role for governments and public policies to promote the development of coffee farming, along with the pests and diseases affecting the crops.”

In December of last year, the Law for Sustainable Development of Coffee Farming was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation to promote the production, marketing and processing of the bean.

However, García mentioned that “it does not address health and safety issues for imported coffee,” nor does it regulate the price at which the industry would have to buy the aromatic product.

“The industry, the buyers, are not paying the price that corresponds to the stock exchange, therefore, we demand that the government regulate that those reference prices that the stock exchange manages are met,” he demanded.

Furthermore, he argued that “the government, the production sector, and the industry have not been interested in promoting coffee production because more and more robusta coffee, which is inferior and of low quality, is being imported.” He mentioned that there is a high consumption of instant coffee in the country, “so we sell the good coffee we produce and consume the bad coffee that is imported.”

To strengthen the sector, he indicated that coffee production must be boosted, which requires financial support. He also mentioned the need for a campaign to promote the consumption of Arabica coffee beans.

“We cannot continue to protect instant coffee, which is made with colorings, sugar, flavorings and low-quality beans.”

At the same time, Celis specified that progress can be made this year to improve in this area, but it requires the government’s “will” to “increase the number of beneficiaries of production for well-being, fertilizer support, and the Sembrando Vida program.”

The post Café Bienestar Supports Only 1% of Coffee Farmers appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

From Mexico Solidarity Media via This RSS Feed.