Colombia coffee growers seek govt aid as prices languish.

Byline: S. Kamal Hayder Kazmi

Colombia's coffee federation called urgently on Wednesday for the government to make structural changes to help coffee farmers in the face of low international prices. Prices have hovered close to $1 per pound on the New York market so far in 2019, leaving farmers struggling to pay debts and afford fertilizer and new trees.

The federation repeatedly asked for government aid in 2018 amid low prices, and the country eventually spent at least $13.5 million to fund tree replacements. The country's coffee-growers are especially worried about the low prices they are...