The United States, Germany and France were placed as the largest importers of coffee in the world during 2022, according to data from the World Trade Organization (WTO).

First of all, the United States has remained in the leading position in this classification with the following sequence in its imports: 5,676 million dollars in 2020, then 6,915 million in 2021 and finally 9,786 million in 2022.

Germany followed in second place. After registering external coffee purchases of US$3,542 million in 2020, its foreign purchases increased to US$4,128 million in 2021 and US$5,680 million in 2022.

Finally, France had the following trend: 2,885 million, 3,087 million and 3,203 million dollars in 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Importers of coffee

According to Starbucks Corporation, the price of coffee is subject to significant volatility. Although most coffee is traded on the commodity market, arabica coffee tends to trade at a premium above the commodity «C» price.

Both the premium and the price depend on supply and demand at the time of purchase.

Supply and price can be affected by multiple factors in producing countries, such as weather, water supply quality and availability along the coffee production chain, natural disasters, crop pests and diseases, general increases in agricultural inputs and production costs, inventory levels, and political and economic conditions.

Climate change may further exacerbate many of these factors.

The price is also affected by trading activities in the Arabica coffee futures market, including hedge funds and commodity index funds.

In addition, green coffee prices have been affected in the past, and may be affected in the future, by the actions of certain organizations and associations that have historically attempted to influence green coffee prices through agreements establishing export quotas or by restricting the supply of coffee.

Worldwide, total coffee imports amounted to US$36.58 billion.