| Coffee consumption was steady in the United States | | | | which represents about $15 per sack over the price |
| and Europe this year despite the crisis, which has | | | | in the New York Mercantile Exchange, the main |
| helped Costa Rican producers to overcome this | | | | reference point. |
| difficult period. A decline in coffee demand was | | | | Costa Rica sells 51% of its coffee to the market in |
| expected in major markets due to the crisis, but an | | | | the United States, according to the Foreign Trade |
| annual survey by the National Coffee Association of | | | | Promoter (PROCOMER) website; another 14% is |
| the USA (NCA) revealed that there were no changes | | | | placed in Germany, 8% in Belgium and 4% in Italy. |
| this year. | | | | The grain is also exported to some markets outside |
| The telephone survey was conducted between | | | | of the United States and Europe. About 6% of |
| mid-January and February of this year and it found | | | | exports go to Japan and 3% to Australia, reported |
| that 49% of respondents consumed coffee daily, a | | | | PROCOMER. |
| figure equal to that in 2008. Similarly, the average | | | | ICAFE estimated that 70% of total Costa Rican |
| number of cups of coffee consumed per day | | | | coffee exports is being placed in differentiated |
| remained at 3.3 per person, the poll found. | | | | markets. That is, countries where there are market |
| However, the NCA warned that it would be difficult | | | | segments that demand high-quality coffee and pay |
| to increase the average of cups of coffee consumed | | | | higher prices for the grain. |
| per day. Therefore, demand cannot be increased in | | | | According to ICAFE, the sharpest increases in |
| that manner. The number of coffee consumers | | | | production costs occurred between 2007 and 2008. |
| must be increased if there is to be an increase in | | | | During that period, there were sharp increases in raw |
| coffee demand. | | | | materials for production such as fertilizer and fuel. In |
| Ronald Peters, executive director of the Costa Rican | | | | addition, other effects of the global economic crisis |
| Coffee Institute (ICAFE), explained that demand for | | | | are still present in national coffee production. |
| coffee remained steady in Europe during last year | | | | The situation would worsen in the event of a |
| and so far this year, during the height of the global | | | | decrease in consumption in major importing |
| financial crisis. | | | | countries. However, the industry is withstanding the |
| The stable demand and higher prices in quality coffee | | | | crisis better than other sectors because of how |
| markets allowed producers to alleviate the crisis, but | | | | stable consumption has been, said the ICAFE |
| they have had to bear a strong effect in production | | | | director yesterday. |
| cost increases, Peters stressed yesterday. | | | | Coffee has a major impact on the Costa Rican |
| So far this year, Costa Rica has placed one million | | | | economy because it affects some 52,512 producers |
| quintals (46-kilo sacks) from the 2009-2010 harvest | | | | currently registered with ICAFE. For those producers, |
| on the market for future delivery. This is almost | | | | news of steady consumption is great news but a |
| half or the total export volume. | | | | marketing strategy must be implemented to increase |
| The average price of these sales is $151 per quintal, | | | | the number of consumers. |