Caffeine Junkies, Rejoice! Coffee Just Got Cheaper

[FLPanhandle]

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/Caffeine-Junkies-Rejoice-Coffee-Just-Got-Cheaper-180957670/?no-ist



f you’re obsessed with (or barely functional without) your morning cup of joe, you’re not alone— 59 percent of Americans drink a cup of coffee every day, according to the National Coffee Association. And now, that daily cup is poised to become more affordable. As Marvin G. Perez reports for Bloomberg News, coffee prices are falling fast.

Thank the weather in Brazil for the declining price of coffee, writes Perez: A rainy season in the country led to better Arabica coffee growth, which has helped coffee supplies rise and prices fall. It’s part of a bigger global trend toward cheaper food triggered by high inventories, favorable weather, cheap gas and currency declines, Perez notes.

A recently released report from the United States Department of Agriculture predicts that 2016 will be a record year for global coffee production. The United States is estimated to import 500,000 more bags of coffee this year, totaling 24.0 million, due to higher consumer demand, most likely attributed to the falling prices and increased supply of beans.

The weather-fueled price drop demonstrates just how vulnerable coffee crops are to the elements. Climate change could make this a signficant issue in the future. Earlier this year, researchers predicted that temperature fluctuations will cause drought, pests and other climate-sensitive factors that will affect crop yields, and eventually even cause some tropical highlands to lose their capacity for producing the higher-quality Arabica coffee. And changing climate could make the price of coffee skyrocket overall once rising temperatures disrupt the market supply.
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Wait, climate change will reduce the supply of high quality coffee!?! If so, I know a number of republicans who will be first in line to stop global warming.

[tabasco]

1. Good news, indeed!

Luv my coffee.

[lpbk2713]

2. I think we'll still be buying it eleven ounces at a time though.

I don't think we'll ever buy a "pound" of coffee again.

[tkmorris]

3. I buy mine by the pound

I hear ya though, I don't know when was the last time I saw a whole pound package in the grocery store.

[etherealtruth]

4. I think I buy it by the metric ton (or should)! n/t