Then from June 2010, prices experienced a recovery in the international markets, providing a much welcomed return to profitability for producers across the globe. Today however, a return to below cost of production prices for many producing countries has reminded us of the inherent volatility of the coffee market, and requires that we look at strategies for managing the structural imbalances in the world coffee chain.
With production costs becoming more rigid as a consequence of greater economic, social and environmental sustainability, and with higher costs required to combat diseases such as coffee leaf rust which is now affecting a number of producing countries, we can expect greater instability in production over the next few years.
We must consider concrete actions to permit the long-term survival of world coffee production through improvement of quality and the promotion of consumption in particular; increased competitiveness; investment in human capital; and attention to the challenges of a changing environment.
The ICO in its 50th anniversary is proud to renew its commitment to work for the betterment of the world coffee sector as the focal of international cooperation on all coffee trade matters.
