“We are a coffee-growing country and we like the tintico, the parakeet, but the one in the coffee”: Iván Duque

President Iván Duque launched a phrase that generated several comments on social networks. It happened in the middle of the speech he gave at the closing of the 88th National Congress of Coffee Growers.

The president explained to the coffee growers the importance of the grain in the Colombian economy but also in its culture. It was when he expressed: “We are a coffee-growing country and we call ourselves coffee growers, and we like tintico, pintadito, as some parakeets say, but the one in coffee”.

Immediately afterwards, the head of state assured that despite the fact that coffee is present in Colombian families, internal consumption is low.

During his speech, Duque recognized the union, because even due to the special and difficult circumstances of the pandemic, it stopped producing and met the goal for this year.

“We are going to close 2020 with 14 million bags produced, with 13 million for export, which leave the name of Colombia high, showing the world that even the pandemic did not take us away from the production goal we had for 2020. My very special recognition “, said the president.

The president also highlighted the arrival of Colombian coffee in markets such as China, where he himself went to promote it last year. “We can say that this year, despite the difficulties of the pandemic, that market has continued to expand and very soon it will end up being the main market in Asia, due to its size”, said.

Pasture: Preliminary investigation begins for alleged conflict of interest in a tender of the ICT Ministry

Likewise, he referred to another possible export destination, such as South Korea, a country that Duque plans to visit next year, to strengthen bilateral trade, and whose Government seeks “Make a more aggressive bet on Colombian coffee”, increasing its import.

In the same way, the president advocated joint work between the public and private sectors, in order to increase domestic demand for grain.

He added that for this reason, the goal for 2021, with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, is to promote and stimulate domestic coffee consumption.

“I want us to be aware of the new uses and that with added value export products of that nature can come out”, Held.

The Head of State explained some of the initiatives launched by his Government to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, which have benefited coffee producers, such as unconditional transfers, extraordinary transfers and the Solidarity Income program, which it will remain until next June.

Pasture: The interview with Pablo Escobar that makes the news again, 25 years later

Likewise, he highlighted the planning and implementation of biosecurity protocols, VAT refund, delivery of markets to affected households and the Program to Support Formal Employment (PAEF), among others.

Among the executives of his administration, he also referred to the implementation of the Coffee Price Stabilization Fund, the increase in resources for tertiary roads and the Contract Agriculture program and Harvest and Sell to the Fixed, from which the coffee growing sector benefits.