Coffee cultivation in Colombia is a cornerstone of daily life and livelihood for more than half a million families. As the country produces over 14 million 60 kg bags of coffee annually and exports more than USD $4 billion worth of beans, sustainability has become essential to protecting both livelihoods and the land itself.
The National Coffee Federation (FNC) recently reinforced this commitment by recommending that growers phase out plastic bags and field soil in nursery production.
This shift comes as Colombia implements Law 2232 (2022), which bans single-use plastics by 2030. For growers, it represents a new chapter in coffee propagation that aligns environmental responsibility with productivity.
Sustainability Challenges in Traditional Coffee Propagation
Conventional coffee nurseries typically rely on thousands of plastic bags filled with fertile field soil for every hectare of seedlings. This method has been standard for decades, but at the same time, it carries major drawbacks:
- High resource use – tons of soil are removed from productive farmland.
- Plastic waste – millions of bags eventually discarded each season.
- Phytosanitary risks – soilborne pathogens can spread easily through reused materials.
Since coffee trees are replanted about every 20 years, how seedlings are grown plays a big role in the long-term health of each farm.
Cenicafé Research Confirms Sustainable Coffee Propagation Systems
According to recent research from Cenicafé, the scientific arm of the Colombian Coffee Federation, compressed peat pellets (Jiffy® pellets) provide a biodegradable and efficient alternative to plastic bags for coffee seedlings.
Cenicafé’s multi-year trials (2015 – 2024) demonstrated that seedlings grown in compressed peat pellets:
- Showed no significant difference in yield compared to those in traditional bags.
- Developed strong, well-balanced root systems, resulting in higher transplant success.
- Offered simplified logistics, reduced weed pressure, and lower nursery losses.
The evidence points to pellet-based propagation as a strong match for Colombia’s sustainable coffee-growing practices.
Jiffy Pellets: Proven Technology for Coffee Propagation in Colombia
Compressed peat pellets (such as those developed by Jiffy) eliminate the need for soil and plastic altogether. Each dry, compact pellet expands when hydrated to form an ideal growing environment with an optimized air-to-water ratio.
Key benefits for coffee producers include:
- Faster, more uniform germination for consistent seedlings.
- Direct transplanting with minimal root disturbance.
- Water efficiency, with some formulations holding up to 7× their weight in water.
- Simplified logistics, thanks to reduced storage and transport volume.
With zero kilograms of soil and zero plastic waste, Jiffy Pellets help coffee growers comply with upcoming regulations while maintaining high propagation standards.
Colombia Coffee Solutions for a Sustainable Future
The move toward plastic-free propagation is both an environmental milestone and a strategic step for the entire Colombian coffee sector. Adopting biodegradable propagation systems for coffee strengthens Colombia’s global reputation for quality and responsible production.
As a leader in sustainable growing solutions, Jiffy continues to support the industry’s transition with proven technologies designed for coffee propagation and production in Colombia.
Explore how Jiffy’s pellet-based systems can help you prepare for Colombia’s next generation of coffee farming.
Let’s work together
Jiffy is a leading global supplier of premium growing media and solution thinking. We aim to serve you, our customers in plant propagation and cultivation, to achieve better results with fewer worries. We do this by continually improving, innovating, and working toward our common goals, based on scientific research, teamwork, and decades of experience. Let’s develop sustainable plant growing solutions together: Let’s start today!
