Short answer: the south (Huila, Cauca, Nariño) brings in its main crop roughly from March–April to June–July, and Huila picks a second, smaller crop around October–November. The north (Santander, the Sierra Nevada, most of Antioquia) harvests from about September to December, and parts of the centre add a mitaca in April–May. That is why fresh Colombian lots reach the market all year round.
Why Colombia harvests all year
Most coffee countries have one dry season and one harvest. Colombia sits close to the equator and grows coffee along three mountain ranges, at very different altitudes and exposures. Rainfall comes in two wet and two dry periods, so trees flower more than once a year, and the timing shifts from one valley to the next.
The result: there are two crops in many regions. The bigger one is the main crop (cosecha principal). The smaller one is the mitaca, also called the fly crop or traviesa. In some regions the mitaca is a few weeks of picking; in Huila it is a real second season.
Harvest calendar by region
The months below are typical windows, not fixed dates. Weather years such as El Niño and La Niña can move them by several weeks, and a farm at 2,000 m picks later than its neighbour at 1,500 m.
| Region | Main crop | Mitaca | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huila | Mar–Jun | Oct–Nov | Picking in most months except Jan–Feb and Jul–Aug. Home of many Pink Bourbon and Gesha lots. |
| Cauca | Mar–Jun | Oct–Nov | High plateaus, bright acidity, mostly one strong season. |
| Nariño | Mar–Jun | Oct–Nov | Very high farms near the equator; small volumes, long harvest. |
| Tolima (south) | Mar–Jun | Oct–Nov | Follows the southern pattern. |
| Tolima (north), Eje Cafetero, Valle del Cauca | Sep–Dec | Apr–May | Classic central-zone timing with two crops. |
| Antioquia | Sep–Dec | — | Mostly one main season. |
| Santander, Sierra Nevada | Sep–Dec | — | Northern pattern, one main harvest. |
If you buy from Huila, as many specialty roasters do, the practical takeaway is simple: there is fresh coffee being picked for about eight months of the year.
From cherry to container: how long it takes
A harvest month is not a shipping month. After picking, a lot still has to be processed, dried, rested and milled.
- Processing. Washed coffee is pulped and fermented within a day or two. Naturals, honeys and anaerobic lots spend longer in fermentation and drying.
- Drying. Usually several weeks, longer for naturals and in rainy weather.
- Resting in parchment. Coffee is stored in parchment so that moisture settles before milling.
- Dry milling and sorting. Parchment is removed, beans are sorted by size and defects, and the lot is bagged for export.
- Export preparation. Quality control, documents and transport to the port.
Plan on several weeks to a few months between picking and a lot being ready to ship. For the southern main crop this usually means offer samples in mid-year and shipments in the second half of the year. US importers typically see southern Colombian specialty coffee arrive between October and January.
When to book, by type of buyer
Container and multi-tonne buyers
Cup offer samples as soon as the first lots of a crop are milled, and contract early. For the southern main crop that means cupping around May to July; for northern coffees, around November to January. Ask for a pre-shipment sample from the actual lot before it leaves Colombia. Our guide to ordering green coffee samples explains how the three types of samples fit together.
Roasters buying a few bags
You do not need to plan around the calendar as tightly. Small orders can go by express courier at any time of year, and there is almost always a fresh lot in a profile you like. What matters more is that the coffee was milled recently and stored well.
Microlots: Pink Bourbon, Gesha, competition coffee
The best small lots sell first, often before they are fully milled. If you want a specific variety or process, tell us early in the season. Competition lots start at 4 kg and regular lots at 12 kg, so even a small roaster can secure one.
How fresh is “new crop”?
Green coffee is usually called new crop within roughly a year of harvest, but quality depends more on storage than on the date. Coffee kept in hermetic liners such as GrainPro, at stable temperature, holds its sweetness and acidity much longer than coffee in plain jute. When you compare lots, ask for the harvest month, the milling date and the packaging.
How we use the calendar
We cup what was picked in each region and send you only the lots we would buy ourselves. Because we work across Huila, Nariño, Cauca, Tolima, Antioquia, Santander, Valle del Cauca and the Eje Cafetero, there are more than 30 lots on the table at any time. Tell us your timing and profile, and we will shortlist what is fresh right now.
For the next step — prices, Incoterms and shipping times — see how FOB, shipping and payment work for Colombian green coffee.
Questions buyers ask
Is Colombian coffee available all year?
Yes. Different regions harvest at different times, and many have both a main crop and a mitaca, so fresh lots are milled and offered in almost every month.
When is the Huila coffee harvest?
The main crop runs roughly from March to June, with a second crop around October and November. Some picking happens in most months except January–February and July–August.
What is the mitaca?
The mitaca, or fly crop, is Colombia’s secondary harvest. It is smaller than the main crop and comes about six months after it.
When should I order fresh Colombian green coffee?
For containers, cup offer samples when a crop is first milled: around May–July for southern coffees and November–January for northern ones. For small orders, any time of year works.
How long does shipping from Colombia take?
Express courier takes about a week. By sea, add a few weeks depending on your port, plus time for documents and loading.
Keep reading
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