The Cost of Coffee

To the Editor:

Yikes! While buying coffee over the past months, I have noticed a steady rise in price and some reduced availability. I know that man cannot live on bread alone; we also need our coffee as well as spiritual and emotional fulfillment.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the price of coffee hit a record high of $8.87 per pound in August 2025, up 21% over the previous 12 months. Or is the rise 33% as some sources say, including a 3.6% rise in August? The trend is record highs and rapid increases.

Four causes are attributed for the rise. One, tariffs imposed by the US Government on coffee producing countries account for much of the cost. Brazil was hit with a 50% tariff, Vietnam a 20% tariff and Colombia a 10% tariff (and Mexico?). Two, weather, unpredictable weather patterns in coffee-growing countries, is another factor. Weather is reducing crop harvests and global supplies; drought is a contributing factor. Three, general inflation contributes to the rise in prices. Four, emerging markets produce more competition for coffee. These cost-price factors have been widely reported in the media.

Is coffee good for us? We all know someone, perhaps the person in the mirror, who can’t get their day going without 3-5 cups of coffee. Johns Hopkins Medicine says coffee is full of substances that help guard against various health problems. “Caffeine is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about coffee. But coffee also contains antioxidants and other active substances that may reduce internal inflammation and protect against disease, say nutrition experts from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.” Moderately consumed, coffee can help reduce coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and kidney disease. Don’t take my word for these benefits; check Johns Hopkins Medicine for details.

In a time of culture wars, what about the coffee culture heritage in Fayette County? The Internet and our friends say that Germans have a rich and well-established coffee and cake tradition. To them coffee is a good pick-me-up throughout the day. Likewise, for Czechs, drinking coffee is a long, well-established tradition.

What’s the antidote to high coffee prices? One solution is to drink less coffee. Perhaps, what the nation needs is a federal administration that can bring grocery prices down, especially coffee. That would make a good campaign promise. But our current problem reminds me of what President “Free Trade” Reagan said, tariffs can, if used wisely, help protect American workers. Used badly, they remind us of what he said were “the nine most terrifying words in the English language.” “I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.”

Bob Heath Carmine