Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.
A dry season in Brazil is leading to less coffee bean production, and yes, that means the cost of your next cup of Joe could be increasing.
The price of Arabica coffee bean has gone up to the highest it has been in more than two-and-a-half years, according to the Financial Times. Climate change could also be causing more pests, such as the berry borer beetle, and disease to hit coffee crops.
But before the panic sets in, take a look at the broader picture, says Chuck Jones, owner of Jones Coffee Roasters in Pasadena.
The crops and pricing are cyclical, he says.
"I wouldn't be too worried about [price changes] because a lot of spectators like to shake up the market a little bit, especially with weather news from Brazil," says Jones, who grows coffee in Guatemala.
Buyers generally buffer their prices to prevent effects from immediate pricing changes, but you may notice a little difference in price of commercial coffees.
Growers, on the other hand, are always struggling, Jones said.
"In all of the systems that are surrounding the production of coffee, I feel like growers are always at the bottom of the chain," Jones said. "I never feel like [growers] get a leg up. I think it helps when we work more with direct trade coffee and we know that our roasters are paying fair prices for the coffee, but the struggle is always there."