More than half, 52.6%, of the products that Colombia exported to the world between January and May of this year corresponded to non-mining energy goods. That is, of the $20.433.1 million USD that the country sold to the world in that period, $10.745 million USD were products of agriculture, agribusiness, and industry (not mining), which are those promoted by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism and its assets.

This is clear from the analysis made by this ministry based on figures published by DANE, which establishes that non-mining energy exports grew 22% compared to the same period in 2024. And if the volume shipped is reviewed, it was 4.32 million tons for an increase of 9.6% compared to January-May 2024.

Within the basket of non-mining energy goods, those with the greatest weight are industrial goods, which accounted for 55.9% ($6.011.2 million USD) and grew 12.2% in 2024. Those in the agricultural sector participated with 43.9% of that basket and increased by 37.2%.

In the period of analysis, when evaluating the main export products of the non-mining pie, several contributed to boost this growth. The following stand out: coffee, whose foreign sales increased 89%; palm oil with 63.7%; coffee extracts with 36.8%;hass avocado with 24.7%, and polypropylene with 21.9%.

Likewise, beauty preparations had an important behavior and contributed to growth, 6.3%; flowers, 5.7%; bananas, 5.4%; electrical transformers, 4.7% and doors, windows, and their frames, 4.3%, among others.

By regions

About the 9 departments that export the most non-mining energy goods and that represent 90.5% of this basket, all registered increases in their sales.

In the case of Antioquia, which is the department that has the most weight in this type of foreign sales, it registered a growth of 24.8%; it is followed by Bogotá with 15.4%; those of Cundinamarca grew 15.9%; those of Valle del Cauca 16.2%; those of Atlántico 5%; those of Bolívar 10.7%; those of Caldas 44.2%; those of Huila 72.3% and those of Magdalena 44.1%.

Coffee from Colombia. Photo credit: Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism (MinCIT)

Mitch Weiss of Harvard Business School was recently in Medellín, Colombia as a keynote speaker during the 2025 WOBI event, which brings ideas and inspiration from some of the world’s greatest business minds. The global event rotates between major business hubs and capitals throughout the world, connecting thought leadership with local audiences from the business community, government, and academia.

Weiss gave an engaging, interactive presentation, evangelizing not just the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) but how to make the best of it the platform, using it to work alongside humanity rather than supplanting us.

After initial dialogue between Loren Moss, executive editor of Finance Colombia, Weiss answered questions from the local press corps with Moss moderating and serving as interpreter for the questions from local journalists attending the event.

Finance Colombia: I’m here with Mitch Weiss of Harvard Business School. You just gave a really interesting talk at this year’s 2025 WOBI. You gave great advice and counseling on using artificial intelligence and its ramifications.

Now I know that you have a history working with innovation in the public sector, and so one of the things I wanted to ask is if we look at… We’re here in Medellín, and you had a chance to tour the city, and you see that we’re kind of in a valley. And if we go into the other side, you know, most of the people here today probably already have some kind of experience with generative AI. That’s kind of the audience that we have here, but if we go on the other side of this mountain range behind us, you have people who still struggle using an ATM. And you know, fraud is a big concern and taking advantage of people and things like that, and what is the role… How can let’s say, governments, because you have experience in the public sector, help protect the consumer? Because now we have things like deepfakes, we have things like… I’m experimenting with ElevenLabs, and they can replicate my voice and things like that.

How do we promote innovation, but at the same time protect not just the consumer broadly, but when we have a big digital divide between well-versed people, let’s say the techno elite, and then people who are struggling to even catch up? What’s the role that you see the public sector and academia can play in maybe policing this wild west that we’re in?

Mitchell Weiss: Well, I think, frankly, policing is going to be hard. I think, as you mentioned, there are so many ways these tools can be used for bad means, and also there are lots of ways to circumvent whatever government regulations are put into place with open source technologies and otherwise. So I do think there’s a place for prudent government regulation, but I think it’d be a mistake to rely on that entirely.

I think we should instead, or in addition, imagine actually, how we can empower people with these tools? It’s true that there’s the ability to use them for fraud and all the rest of it, but it’s also true that anybody with it now has a teacher in their pocket. Anybody with it now has some version of a doctor in their pocket.

Anybody with it, if it’s reliable, now has some version of a fraud protector also in their pocket. So I think my posture would be, how do we make the tools available to people so that they are empowered? And there will need to be a kind of massive, in a way, upskilling or reskilling given these tools, which the government can help bring about also, but they’re not complicated to use at a first pass. I mean, one aspect of these tools is if you can talk, you can use them, if you can see, if you can type, if you can do any of those things, any one of those things, not even all of them, you can use the tools.

And so I think the government’s role, yes, is on regulation, but also a democratization and upskilling of people so they can make the best use of these as teachers and doctors and all the rest.

Finance Colombia: You know, we have… with you and I being from the US, the US kind of has a philosophy of you can do everything until it’s proven dangerous, and then we’re going to step in and regulate it, which as a libertarian I like. But then, let’s say, Europe has the opposite extreme, which is that you have to prove that it’s not dangerous before you can do it. And then most countries, including Colombia, are somewhere in the middle of that.

And again, if we look at this rapidly… I mean, I’m old enough to remember when the internet kind of came into common use, but this is so much more rapid. This is so much more disruptive. And I would say, you know, to show my bias, resist the temptation to regulate, but how can it not just be governments and regulatory entities, but academia… I went to Ohio State, and Ohio State just announced that they’re not going to fight AI. And they just said students are now expected to use it, which I thought was very interesting. And I know a lot of other colleges are as well, but how do we balance the I guess, temptation to regulate or the fear, with, on the other hand, the desire to foment innovation and to break boundaries? There has to be a balance there somewhere. And how do we find that balance?

“You can use AI to market to potential customers better. You can use AI to manage your teams potentially more effectively,” – Mitch Weiss

Mitchell Weiss: Well, I mean, the first thing is, I would agree that there is a balance. I mean, in academia, I’m a professor at Harvard Business School, and we want to make sure that our students have exposure to these tools. We’ve been very AI forward. We were probably the first leading business school in the country to make sure that all of our entering students had access to the most advanced versions of ChatGPT when it came out. And all of our students and staff, and faculty all have access to GPT Edu, and a whole host of lots of other tools as well. We want to make sure that they have access to these tools to help them become able leaders in a world that’s going to be full of them. And to give them a professional edge so that they can get jobs and lead and lead well with these tools. And at the same time, make sure that they can continue to forge and shape the tool that’s on top of their neck. And that is the balance.

I think there are ways to do that. I wouldn’t say that they’re foolproof. Some of those ways include making sure that you set out expectations so people know what’s expected inside an organization or a school. Expectations aren’t everything, but it matters to tell people what to expect. You can make work for students harder, or you can access more metacognition, so they have to think more and work more, given that they have access to these tools. You can use them to teach better so that you’re pushing and challenging students more. You can become a better yourself on the other side. And at the end of the day, I think you constantly have to ask students, How do you know it’s true? How do you know it’s true? How do you know? You have to keep helping them cultivate this part of their brain, too. And so I think achieving that balance is a matter of expectations. It’s also a matter of training and pedagogy. And I think that translates from schools beyond, but it’s not going to be easy.

Finance Colombia: Great, great. Appreciate your time. If you could, you know, go a little deeper on how we can work with artificial intelligence, keeping that human sense in it, humanize it?

Mitchell Weiss: So if the question is, you know, humanizing our AI, I’m not sure that I would do that. I think it’s important to still recognize that it is a piece of technology. And even as it starts to talk more like a human or listen more like a human, it isn’t a human. But to work with it like it’s a coworker, so for example, when I use my AI, I will often say, ‘por favor’, or, you know, ‘gracias’, for me, ‘please and thank you’. And people will say, like, “Why would you do that?” And this happens a lot. Other people are being polite to their AI. Why do you do that? Some people think it will work better. Some papers suggest that it helps or hurts. Some people say it’s because, you know, just in case these things take over, at least I’ll be nice to it. The reason that I do that is because I want to remember to think, sort of interact with it, like it’s a coworker or research assistant.

And so I’m not trying to make it a human, but I’m trying to engage in a conversation and an ongoing iterative conversation with it. I think that’s how you get the most out of it. So I’m not trying to humanize it, but I’m trying to remind myself that I can work with it as a teammate. And there are colleagues of mine who are writing papers about what it means to have an AI, a team that’s made up of people and AI together, and showing that they’re more productive than people by themselves. And so I think it’s useful to think about it like a teammate.

I really believe, and my colleagues are writing and doing some work on this, that you can use AI to understand your customer base or potential customer base better. We saw about synthetic market testing and all the rest. You can use AI to prototype your new products and services better. You can use AI to market to potential customers better. You can use AI to manage your teams potentially more effectively. Entrepreneurs can do all these things.

And one of my colleagues has written a book called The Experimentation Machine, where he tells the story of a founder who was finding that he was spending more time with his customers, not less, because of AI, because the AI was helping do lots of other things. And also, by the way, helping prepare for these meetings so they could be more engaging, and all the rest. So I would say entrepreneurs can embrace the tools and the toolkit and stay heavily invested and involved in their companies with their workers, with their customers, all at the same time.

The 2025 edition of BPrO’s CX Summit in Cartagena closed, continuing to break records. International keynote speakers included Jeff Hancock and Doug Lipp from the US, James Dodkins from the UK, María Belón and Borja Castelar from Spain, and Colombia’s Carolina Angarita, Germán Arciniegas, David Gómez, and Marcela Torres. The Hilton Cartagena resort was completely sold out for the event.

Several outsourcing firms won accolades in the 2025 CX Interaction Awards, which drew participants from around the globe, including Shelli Ryan from Ad Hoc Communications, who visited from the US.

Ana Karian Quessep, president of BPrO, the outsourcing industry’s trade association in Colombia, Ricardo Durán, and John Santafe Correa from Outsourcing SAS BIC, Jill Erika Charry from Atento, Óscar Velásquez from Konecta, Pablo Vega Pinochet from Voz Digital, Iván Pacheco Durango from the city of Montería, Colombia, and María Juliana Herrera from Huawei discuss their takeaways from the event in this video recap.

Video and featured image credit: Loren Moss/YouTube.

Sunwing Vacations is set to enhance its offerings for Canadian travelers seeking all-inclusive vacation options in San Andrés, Colombia, for the 2025-2026 winter season. The company has announced the addition of the Grand Sirenis San Andrés resort, conveniently located just seven minutes from the popular Spratt Bight Beach.

“The Québec market is incredibly important to us, and we’re proud to introduce direct service to San Andrés this winter,” says Lyne Chayer, vice president, Québec, Sunwing Vacations Group. “This hidden Caribbean gem offers an authentic and vibrant experience that perfectly complements our vacation offerings from Québec City and, with the recent addition of Grand Sirenis San Andrés, gives our travel advisors and mutual clients even more choice of all-inclusive options for their winter getaways,” Lyne added.

The Grand Sirenis San Andrés, which opened earlier this year, caters to both adventure seekers and relaxation enthusiasts alike. The resort boasts an array of amenities suitable for all ages, including:

• An infinity pool with an uninterrupted view of the Sea of Seven Colors, and a kids’ pool.
• Culinary offerings with Brazilian, Italian, Japanese, and steakhouse options.
• A variety of on-site activities and entertainment, including resort-offered yoga, the Miniclub Sirenios for kids, live music and shows, and more.
• Modern gym, curated wellness experience, and access to the region’s cultural attractions nearby.
• Accommodations with tropical-inspired décor.

The new direct route from Quebec City to San Andrés will operate from December 2025 to April 2026, providing Quebec residents with an opportunity to explore one of Colombia’s most vibrant islands and experience the newly established Grand Sirenis San Andrés resort.

Grand Sirenis San Andrés. Photo credit: Grand Sirenis San Andrés hotel.

Collective Mining Ltd. (NYSE: CNL) (TSX: CNL) has announced the discovery of a high-grade vein system at it’s ME target and the completion of a gravimetric survey within the Guayabales Project in Caldas, Colombia. The survey identified seven new gravity anomalies with characteristics similar to the company’s Apollo system.

Drill hole MEC-2 at the ME target intersected a high-grade vein system, with assay results including 0.65 meters grading 534.0 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 40 g/t silver from 274.5 meters downhole, and 0.90 meters grading 47.2 g/t gold from 291.8 meters downhole. The company has interpreted this intersection as high-grade vein leakage from a larger, mineralized breccia body.

Figure 1: Plan View of the Guayabales Project Highlighting Northwest and East-West Mineralized Structures, Greenfield Targets Generated to Date and their Respective Locations from the Multi-Million Ounce Marmato Mine (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)

Following the initial results from a new gravimetric survey, drilling on hole MEC-3 at the ME target was halted due to the hole’s trajectory being outside an identified gravity high. Collective Mining has recommenced drilling at the ME target, focusing on the gravity high.

The gravimetric survey was conducted over a two-square-kilometer area of the Guayabales Project, encompassing the corridor extending from the Apollo system to the concession boundary of Aris Mining’s (TSX: ARIS) (NYSE-A: ARMN) Marmato mine. The survey’s effectiveness in identifying the Apollo system as a gravity-high, attributed to its concentration of breccia-hosted sulfides, supported its application to other areas.

The survey has identified seven new gravity anomalies with gravimetric features similar to Apollo. These include Apollo South, located southwest of Apollo; three anomalies within the ME target area; one in the X target area; and two in the Plutus target area. These new targets are characterized by gravity highs that originate at or near the surface and extend vertically to the survey’s depth limit.

Diamond drilling with two rigs has commenced to test the ME and X gravimetric high anomalies. Additional drilling is planned for the remaining gravity targets. The Apollo South anomaly, located 250 meters southwest of the Apollo system, is identified as a potential extension of the Apollo system. The X gravity anomaly, situated 1 kilometer south of Apollo, is slated for a maiden drill program targeting an outcropping mineralized breccia body.

Figure 2: Zoomed-in Plan View Highlighting the Seven New Gravimetric Anomalies and Assay Results for the High-Grade Vein System Discovered at the ME Target (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)

The ME and ME South gravity anomalies, located between 0.6 and 1 kilometer southeast of Apollo, are currently undergoing drilling at the ME anomaly. The Plutus 1 and 2 gravity anomalies, located up to 1 kilometer east of Apollo, are described as large and undrilled, with the Plutus 1 anomaly exhibiting continuity over 700 vertical meters. Previous surface sampling in the Plutus area indicated quartz diorite-hosted gold-copper porphyry mineralization.

Collective Mining currently operates nine drill rigs, with seven assigned to the Guayabales Project and two to the San Antonio Project, as part of its 70,000-meter drill program for 2025. Two additional deep-capacity rigs are being mobilized to the Guayabales Project to resume testing of the Ramp Zone within the Apollo system in Q3 2025. Approximately 128,000 meters of diamond drilling have been completed at the Guayabales Project to date, including 90,000 meters at Apollo. Assay results for 29 drill holes are currently pending.

Figure 3: Section along Apollo, Highlighting the New South Apollo Anomaly Only 250 Metres from the Company’s Flagship Apollo System (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)

The company’s exploration strategy includes increasing the grade of the Apollo system through systematic drill testing of new sub-zones, expanding the Apollo system along strike and depth, and drilling less advanced or newly generated targets. The San Antonio Project also has an ongoing drilling campaign targeting a bulk-tonnage porphyry system.

Technical Details

Diamond drill hole MEC-2 was drilled northeast from Pad ME3, targeting a high-grade geochemical signature identified at the surface. The hole intersected a new high-grade vein system within porphyry quartz diorite and diorite, exhibiting crackle and brecciated textures with sulfides including chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, and galena.

Figure 4: Section along the X Target Highlighting the New Gravity Anomaly Generated by the Survey (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)

The gravimetric geophysical program was executed by ARCE GEOFISICOS SAC in June 2025, covering 2 square kilometers with 414 stations on a 50-meter east-west by 100-meter north-south grid. The program aimed to detect high-density sulfide-bearing bodies similar to Apollo to a maximum depth of 800 meters. The method measures variations in the Earth’s gravitational field to identify anomalies associated with density changes in subsurface rocks.

Sample preparation and analysis were conducted at ALS laboratory facilities in Medellín, Colombia, and Lima, Peru. The company employs a quality assurance/quality control program, including the insertion of blanks, duplicates, and certified reference standards into the sample stream. True widths are estimated to be between 60% and 95%, and grades are uncut.

Table 1: Assay Results for Drill Holes MEC-2

The Tower target area, where three diamond drill holes were previously completed, did not encounter significant mineralization and is located in a gravity low according to the recent survey. Consequently, the Tower target has been deprioritized, and no further drilling is planned.

Figure 5: Section along Both the ME and ME South Anomalies Highlighting Three Large, Undrilled Gravimetric High Bodies (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)

Wholesale food prices in Colombia showed mixed behavior during June 2025, according to data reported by the Bulletin of Wholesale Prices of Agricultural Products issued by the Rural Agricultural Planning Unit (UPRA). While the downward trend continued in fresh fruits, pork, tubers, and processed foods, increases were observed in vegetables, grains, meats, eggs, and dairy products.

The prices of products such as carrots, beets, junca and bighead onions, broccoli, and green beans in pods increased by more than 10% driven by a lower supply from key regions such as Cundinamarca, Antioquia, Boyacá, and Nariño. In contrast, products such as cucumber, chocolo (corn), tomatoes, and green beans registered decreases, in some cases also greater than 10%.

In the group of fresh fruits, the price falls in mandarins, lemons, guava, oranges, pineapples, avocados, apples, soursops (guanabana), and bananas stood out. However, some tropical fruits such as tree tomatoes (tomatos de arból), mangoes, and passion fruit showed considerable increases, as did grapes, melons, and dragon fruits (pitaya).

“These price fluctuations respond to both climatic conditions and natural production cycles, which forces us to continue strengthening agricultural planning with data. We continue to advance in tools to anticipate these variations and better guide production and marketing in the territories,” said Dora Inés Rey, director of the UPRA.

In tubers, decreases were recorded in the native and black potato varieties, as well as in the arracacha. However, products such as bananas, yams, and cassava reported moderate increases, in line with their seasonal behavior. In meat, the prices of several cuts of beef, fish, and chicken increased slightly, while Dora Inés Rey presented a generalized, although moderate, reduction.

The behavior of egg prices was on the rise in all categories, and the same happened with artisanal cheeses. In grains and cereals, decreases were observed in products such as yellow corn and imported lentils, while beans such as red cargo and radical increased their price. Finally, among processed foods, increases were recorded in sugar, coffee, chocolates, and refined oils; while decreases were observed in flours, pastes, and mixed vegetable oils.

Pork. Photo credit: ludiarin from Pixabay.

In May 2025, the employed population in Colombia’s rural sector reached 4.8 million people; the highest figure recorded for this month in the last seven years, according to labor market results published by DANE. This represents a growth of 88,591 more people compared to the previous year, which is equivalent to 1.9% more.

This behavior occurs in a context of general improvement in the labor market. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 9%, representing a reduction of 1.3 percentage points from 10.3% in May 2024. In total, 23.6 million people were employed in the country, with a year-on-year increase of 596,741 people.
The agriculture, livestock, hunting, forestry and fishing branch was key in this performance. In May, this activity employed 3.5 million people, with an increase of 65,798 employed compared to the same month in 2024. With a share of 14.8% of the national total, it remains the second economic activity with the highest number of employed people in Colombia.

Overall, rural labor market indicators show positive signs. In May 2025, 56.3% of the working-age population in the rural sector was employed, an increase of 0.5 percentage points compared to the same month of the previous year. Likewise, the overall participation rate was 60.8%, higher by 0.7 percentage points, which reflects greater dynamism and willingness to participate in the labor market in rural areas.

In May 2025, the rural sector reached 4.8 million employed people; the highest level recorded for the month of May in the last seven years

The quarterly performance reinforces this trend. In the period March-May 2025, the rural unemployment rate was 7.2%, an improvement compared to the 7.6% recorded in the same quarter of 2024. The rural employed population grew by 119,055 (+2.5%), and agriculture, livestock, hunting, forestry, and fishing activity increased by 79,320 (+3.1%), representing 54.1% of total employment in rural areas.

Despite employment growth, informality remains the main structural challenge. Between February and April 2025, 84.7% of rural workers were in an informal condition, compared to 49.5% in the municipal capitals. In the specific case of agricultural activity, informality reached 86.3%, this being the economic activity with the highest proportion of informal workers in the country.

“The Colombian countryside is demonstrating its capacity to absorb labor; The challenge now is to improve the quality of employment. We need more formalization, more productive investment, and better working conditions so that the growth of employment translates into rural well-being,” said Dora Inés Rey, director of the UPRA.

Livestock. Photo credit: Leuchtturm81 from Pixabay.

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MinCIT), through Fontur and in alliance with Entremar, announces the opening of a call for a training and facilitation program for labor linkage in the cruise industry, an initiative that seeks to strengthen the skills of Colombians to improve their access to job opportunities in international shipping companies.

In addition, this initiative strengthens the employability of the selected people through comprehensive and specialized training that will allow them to obtain the International Navigation Certificate.

It is important to clarify that the ministry does not offer direct jobs or guarantee hiring on cruise ships. Their role is to facilitate the training and accompaniment process, so that participants have the necessary tools and increase their chances of being hired. The final employment relationship will depend exclusively on the requirements of the shipping companies and the profile of each candidate, including their experience, resume, and performance in the selection processes.

The call, which will be open until July 26, is aimed at Colombians of legal age with a conversational level of English and experience or training in areas such as hospitality, tourism, gastronomy, nursing, first aid, aesthetics, swimming, rescue, among others. Those selected must comply with an intensive training process, medical exams, and be available to embark on international cruises for a minimum of three months.

Requirements to Participate

To be part of the process, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be a Colombian citizen over 18 years of age.
• Have a conversational level of English that allows them to interact in international contexts.
• Have education, training, or work experience in areas related to tourism services such as: gastronomy, medical and first aid services, customer service, cleaning services, recreational artists, photographers, administrative services, human resources, and finance.
• If shortlisted, you must present an occupational medical examination certifying fitness for work at sea (this examination is mandatory for embarkation processes, the cost of which is not included in the call for applications).
• Be willing to participate in complementary virtual and in-person training processes and accept occupational support, facilitated by Entremar, during the duration of the project.

Individuals who may not participate:

• Do not have complete documentation required in the call for applications, will not be eligible to apply.
• Have a criminal or immigration record that prevents them from working internationally.
• Have failed the medical examinations required to work onboard cruise ships, according to the cruise line’s standards.
• Have no availability to travel or remain on board for a minimum period of 3 months.

Selection Process

The first step is to apply on the Ministry of Tourism’s website:

Some of the documents that candidates must attach are: a resume in English, a PDF file containing educational and work experience certificates previously recorded on the resume, a document that meets the requirements of the position for which they are applying, and a legible copy of their ID on both sides in PDF format, among others.

Once registered, a document review phase begins to ensure that candidates meet the requirements. After this, the preselected candidates are summoned for interviews, which will be held in the following cities and on the following dates:

• Bogotá: Thursday, July 31.
• Cartagena: Friday, August 1.
• Medellín: Saturday, August 2.
• Sincelejo: Monday, August 4.
• Bucaramanga: Wednesday, August 6.
• Cali: Friday, August 8.
• San Andrés Islands: Saturday, August 9.

After the interviews, the preselected candidates are announced, and the candidates must submit medical examinations to finally enter a training and coaching phase. The cost of this course will be covered by the ministry through Fontur. After this phase, the International Navigation Certificate is processed, and upon obtaining it, the candidate is hired.

This process ensures that Colombians have the necessary tools to perform successfully in a high-level tourism environment, improving their career prospects and quality of life.

Cruise ship. Photo credit: susannp4 from Pixabay.

This column’s idea is to look for what is jumping out in Colombia, making a difference, and what should be on the radar.

This week little of that, so I will spare you another video with me basking in the sun of the UK.

Rosa Villavicencio, the new temporary foreign minister, is still trying to unravel the US situation in terms of both trade and political vitriol. Little progress this week.

Violence is still making headlines with the Gulf Clan (ex-Paramilitaries), ELN & FARC dissidents making unlikely bed partners as they fight for their share of the narcotics trade.

There are rumblings (only in a quiet news week) about Gustavo Petro looking to ban opinion polls ahead of next year’s elections. Frankly, does anyone on a global scale ever read them? Those locally, if you check the technical information, have long since been unreliable in methodology, inaccurate, and, added to this, the local press cherry-pick how they report them. Miguel Uribe, still struggling for his very life in the hospital, has risen from nowhere to top the most recent polls.

And that is about it. As ever, we have presidents, past and present, being accused of all manner of things, as well as the usual political shenanigans in congress, but I won’t waste your time.

Have a great Friday.

Regards.

Roops.

Never miss Rupert’s latest commentary.
Follow him now on LinkedIn to see What Jumps Out.

President Gustavo Petro. Photo credit: Presidencia de la República de Colombia.

Exports from the agricultural and agro-industrial sector recorded their best historical performance for this month in May 2025, with a growth of 26.7% in value and 10.7% in volume compared to the same month of the previous year. This behavior consolidates an expansion trend that reflects the capacity of Colombian agriculture to respond to international demand, generate foreign exchange and contribute to the rural economy.

During May, the country exported agricultural products for a total of $1.322 million USD, mainly driven by the increase in foreign sales of coffee, palm oil and avocado. In volume, 664,560 tons were shipped, confirming the sustained dynamism of the sector.

The accumulated behavior so far this year also broke records: between January and May 2025, exports totaled $6.401 million USD, 36.8% more than in the same period of 2024. In volume, the increase was 11.6%, with 2.84 million tons exported. In both cases, this is the highest value and volume recorded for this period since comparable information is available.

“The strengthening of agricultural exports is a sign of the productive potential of our country. These results are not accidental: they are the reflection of a field that is ordered, that innovates, and that connects with the markets. From the UPRA, we continue to promote planning with a territorial approach so that each hectare is used with technical criteria, generating more value and more opportunities for the regions,” said Dora Inés Rey, director of the UPRA.

Among the best-performing products were coffee, whose exports increased by $159.7 million USD (+59.9%), palm oil and palm kernel with an increase of $42.4 million USD (+53.6%), and avocado, which grew by $13.9 million USD (+65.4%). In volume, relevant increases were reported in exports of palm oil and palm kernel (+34.1%), sugar (+104.9%), and avocado (+65.4%).

This rebound is also observed in the annual trend: between June 2024 and May 2025, agricultural and agro-industrial exports grew 26.8% in value and 6.1% in volume compared to the same period of the previous year.

Coffee beans. Photo credit: Pexels from Pixabay.