Drought Devastation: How It's Affecting Coffee Prices and Harvests.

In December 2024 the world's coffee supply felt the hard hitting effects of severe drought that has impacted coffee harvests in Brazil, Vietnam, and Columbia the world's three largest coffee producers. This has led to an unprecedented worldwide surge in coffee prices.

Brazilian coffee trees are yielding fewer, smaller, and lower-quality beans. Vietnam's coffee production is expected to decrease by 20% this year due to Typhoon Yagi's damage to coffee farms already weakened by months of severe drought. In Colombia, unpredictable extreme weather patterns and soil degradation caused by heat and pest outbreaks have left small farms without the resources to protect and salvage crops.

The price of Arabica coffee, the most popular type of coffee, has reached its highest level since 2011. The price of Robusta coffee, a less desirable coffee bean variety that is often used in instant coffee and blends, has also increased significantly.

Farms are taking action to combat these ever-changing weather patterns, such as planting more ‘shading trees.’. These trees improve soil quality, support biodiversity, and protect coffee plants from the scorching heat of the sun.

Improved irrigation systems are being built to offer regulation for water distribution during droughts and provide some protection from erratic typhoons that cause devastating mass flash flooding by redirecting and managing water levels across the affected region.

Sustainable organic farming practices are being implemented on a larger scale by small farms to nurture dying soil and add much-needed vitality and nutrients back into the earth that has been depleted by these intense weather patterns.

Blind Dog Coffee is proud to support small organic farms that have used these sustainable practices for decades. Farms like these continue to have yields due to their proven practice of these environmental procedures. However, these farms are not immune to the rising costs, and the effects of increased prices are felt no differently at Blind Dog Coffee.

Most regions are not expected to produce a larger yield this next growing season; though the supplies have been improving marginally, it is still not enough to meet the worldwide demand for our favorite morning cup of coffee. 

The drought in all these countries is a serious problem that is having a significant impact on the world coffee economy. It is too early to say how long the drought will last or how high coffee prices will rise. However, it is clear that supporting organic, family-owned farmers that practice sustainability has the greatest impact on the longevity of coffee accessibility for all. The drought is a major challenge for the whole coffee industry; from farmer to roaster, it will have a lasting impact on the way coffee is produced and consumed around the world. 

At Blind Dog Coffee we are proud to offer beans that make a difference.