Huila

Colombia's largest coffee-producing department accounts for 18% of national output, but Huila's real distinction is quality, not volume. The optimal soil and climate produce intense fruit and caramel notes that have earned more Cup of Excellence awards and designations of origin than any other coffee region worldwide. A network of 67,000 coffee-growing families and 191 growers associations ensures abundant specialty supply.

Two harvests define the agricultural calendar: the main crop from September to December, and the 'mitaca' crop from April to June. International prices and peso depreciation pushed domestic prices upward through late 2024, but 2023 brought devastation to some farms—extreme rainfall caused landslides that destroyed 19,000 coffee trees in Monserrate alone, requiring funds for seedlings, fertilizer, and reconstruction.

Beyond coffee, the Tatacoa Desert's otherworldly red and gray landscapes draw tourists for stargazing, while San Agustín and Isnos preserve rich archaeological cultures. By 2026, Huila will test whether specialty coffee premiums can fund climate adaptation—or whether the extreme weather that destroyed farms becomes the norm rather than the exception.