Colombia sees 8 million bag global coffee deficit in 09

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Global coffee demand should hold through the economic crisis and forecasts show a deficit of 8 million sacks next year, the head of Colombia's National Federation of Coffee Growers told Reuters late Monday.

Gabriel Silva said Colombia, the world's No. 3 coffee producer and a top supplier of high-quality arabica beans, should produce between 11.8 million to 12 million 60-kg bags this year but more in 2009 thanks to rejuvenated coffee crops.

(Reporting by Patrick Markey in Bogota; Editing by Marguerita Choy)