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Global Coffee Prices Surge Nearly 40% In 2024 Amid Adverse Weather And Rising Shipping Costs

World coffee prices soared by 38.8% in 2024 compared to the previous year, reaching multi-year highs driven by extreme weather conditions and escalating shipping costs, according to a report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released on March 14. With significant supply disruptions in key producing regions, analysts warn that prices could climb even higher in 2025.

Market Disruptions And Price Surge

Arabica, the premium coffee variety favored for roasted and ground coffee, saw a staggering 58% year-on-year price increase by December 2024. Meanwhile, Robusta, widely used for instant coffee and blending, surged by 70% in real terms. This narrowing of the price gap between the two varieties marks a first since the mid-1990s, reflecting a tightening global supply chain.

The FAO report highlights that major coffee-producing nations, including Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Kenya, faced significant challenges due to climate anomalies, impacting yields and export volumes.

Climate Challenges In Key Coffee Regions

Brazil and Vietnam, which together account for nearly 50% of global coffee production, were particularly hard hit.

  • Vietnam experienced prolonged dry weather, leading to a 20% drop in production for the 2023/24 season. Coffee exports also fell by 10% for the second consecutive year.
  • Indonesia saw a 16.5% decline in production due to excessive rains in April-May 2023, causing coffee cherries to rot. The country’s coffee exports plummeted by 23%.
  • Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer, suffered from extreme heat and drought, forcing repeated downward revisions of its 2023/24 crop estimates. Initial projections of a 5.5% annual increase were slashed to a 1.6% decline.

Other key producers also recorded significant price hikes at the farm level: Ethiopia (17.8%), Indonesia (15.9%), Brazil (13.6%), Kenya (12.3%), Colombia (11.7%), and Vietnam (5.8%).

Rising Costs Extend To Consumers

Beyond climate challenges, soaring shipping costs have exacerbated price pressures. The report notes that by December 2024, higher global coffee prices had translated into a 6.6% increase in consumer coffee prices in the U.S. and a 3.75% rise in the European Union compared to the previous year.

A Push For Sustainability And Innovation

FAO’s Markets and Trade Division Director, Boubaker Ben-Belhassen, emphasized that high prices should incentivize greater investment in technology, research, and climate resilience in the coffee sector, which heavily relies on smallholder farmers. The FAO is actively supporting coffee-producing nations in adopting climate-smart agricultural practices to mitigate future risks.

With the global coffee trade valued at over $25 billion annually and the industry generating more than $200 billion in revenue, stakeholders across the supply chain are being urged to collaborate on sustainable solutions to protect both production and livelihoods.

As the industry braces for further volatility in 2025, the key question remains: can coffee producers adapt quickly enough to counteract climate-driven disruptions and stabilize supply?

Cyprus Construction Trends: Permit Count Slips While Value and Scale Surge in 2025

The Cyprus Statistical Service (Cystat) has reported a notable shift in the construction landscape for 2025. The latest figures reveal a modest 1.9% decline in building permits issued in March compared to the same month last year, signaling a nuanced trend in the nation’s developmental activities.

Permit Count Decline in March

In March 2025, authorities authorised 572 building permits—down from 583 in March 2024. The permits, which total a value of €361.5 million and cover 296,900 square metres of construction, underscore a cautious pace in permit approval despite ongoing projects. Notably, these permits are set to facilitate the construction of 1,480 dwelling units, reflecting an underlying demand in the housing sector.

Q1 2025: Growth in Value, Construction Area, and Dwelling Units

While the number of permits in the first quarter (January to March) decreased by 15.8% from 1,876 to 1,580, more significant, economically relevant metrics saw robust growth. Total permit value surged by 21.7%, and the authorised construction area expanded by 15.6%. Additionally, the number of prospective dwelling units increased by 16.7% compared to the corresponding period last year. This divergence suggests that although fewer permits were issued, the scale and ambition of the approved projects have intensified.

New Regulatory Framework and the Ippodamos System

Since 1 July 2024, a pivotal transition has taken place in permit administration. The responsibility for issuing permits has moved from municipalities and district administration offices to the newly established local government organisations (EOAs). The integrated information system, Ippodamos, now oversees the licensing process, streamlining data collection on both residential and non-residential projects across urban and rural areas.

Comprehensive Data Collection for Enhanced Oversight

The Ippodamos system categorises construction projects using the EU Classification of Types of Construction (CC). This platform gathers extensive data on the number of permits authorised, project area and value, and the expected number of dwelling units. It covers a broad spectrum of construction activities—from new builds and civil engineering projects to plot divisions and road construction—while excluding renewals and building divisions. The thoroughness of this new regulatory structure promises greater operational transparency and more informed decision-making for policymakers and industry stakeholders.

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