
The global coffee market is currently experiencing unprecedented volatility, with New York Arabica coffee prices reaching all-time highs. On February 10, 2025, Arabica futures rose to $4.30 per pound, marking the 13th consecutive session of record prices. However, just yesterday, prices fell to $3.86 per pound, breaking the $4 barrier in a single day. This volatility is primarily attributed to adverse weather conditions in Brazil, the world’s leading coffee producer, where dry and hot weather has significantly impacted coffee-growing regions. As a result, Brazilian farmers are hesitant to sell their limited supplies, further exacerbating the global shortage. ![]() In response to these global market dynamics, the Ethiopian government has implemented a minimum coffee price directive aimed at protecting local producers and ensuring that as many dollars as possible flow into the economy. This policy requires Ethiopian coffee exporters to sell at or above a predetermined minimum price, which is adjusted weekly based on international market trends and the prevailing exchange rate.
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The recent surge in Arabica coffee futures on the New York Stock Exchange, which yesterday reached an all-time high of $3.75 per pound, has complex implications for African coffee producers. While economies such as Ethiopia, Kenya or Rwanda will benefit from higher prices, small farmers, who account for 90% of African coffee producers, often struggle to capitalise on these gains. Factors such as rampant inflation, high input costs and reliance on middlemen reduce their potential profits. In Ethiopia, 6 kg of cherries are needed to produce 1 kg of green coffee, the price per kilogram of cherries is still low compared to the price achieved by coffee futures on international markets. During the 2024-25 harvest that just ended, the average price per kg of cherry on the local market has fluctuated between 80 to 90 birr per kilogram (approximately $0.5 to $0.55 USD), which represents a fraction of the value that coffee futures fetch on the global market. This is partly due to the intermediation structure in the Ethiopian market, where farmers often rely on local cooperatives and traders who buy the cherry at lower prices before it reaches the international market.
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