World Coffee Trade

Coffee is the world’s most widely traded tropical agricultural commodity, accounting for exports worth an estimated US$ 15.4 billion in 2009/10, when some 93.4 million bags were shipped.

World coffee exports, by value and volume 1997/98 – 2009/10

Coffee year

US$ billion

Million bags

US Cents/lb FOB

1999/00

  8.7

89.4

  74

2000/01

  5.8

90.4

  49

2001/02

  4.9

86.7

  43

2002/03

  5.5

88.2

  47

2003/04

  6.4

88.8

  55

2004/05

  8.9

89.0

  76

2005/06

10.1

87.9

  87

2006/07

12.5

98,4

 96

2007/08

15.0

96.1

118

2008/09

13.5

97.4

105

2009/10

15.4

93.4

125

Some 70 countries produce coffee, of which the Exporting Members of the International Coffee Organization are responsible for over 97 percent of world output.  In 2010 total coffee sector employment was estimated at about 26 million people in 52 producing countries (see ICC 105-5).

For many countries, coffee exports are not only a vital contributor to foreign exchange earnings but also account for a significant proportion of tax income and gross domestic product.  For seven countries the average share of coffee exports in total export earnings exceeded 10 percent in the period 2000–2010, although the importance of coffee for many countries is diminishing over time as their economies diversify.  This can be demonstrated by the fact that during the period 1996 to 2000, there were 15 countries which fell into this category, i.e. the average share of coffee exports in their total export earnings exceeded 10 percent.

Average share of coffee exports in total export earnings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Global consumption in coffee year 2009/10 totalled around 133.9 million bags, of which 72 million bags were consumed in Importing Member countries, 21.2 million in non-member countries and 40.7 million in producing countries.

Consumption has increased on average by around 1.2 percent annually since the early 1980s, rising to more than 2 percent in recent years.  Probably the most spectacular growth of a major market occurred in Japan, where it initially averaged some 3.5 percent a year until appearing to have reached a plateau over the last ten years.  Japan is now the third largest importer of coffee in the world.
 
Over the last five years market growth in Europe has been weak, with consumption showing signs of stagnation and possibly even decline.  The situation is only slightly better in the United States, where overall consumption, despite the boom in the specialty sector, has grown at a low rate.

The figures for consumption in some producing countries and in non-member countries point to a surprisingly large upsurge since the turn of the century, growing on average by over 6 percent per annum, although the economic turmoil of recent years has been a brake on growth.

See www.thecoffeeguide.org for further information.