On the London exchange, robusta coffee futures for September 2026 delivery rose by $192 (+5.34%) to $3,790/ton; November 2026 delivery increased by $184/ton (+5.09%) to $3,802/ton; January 2027 delivery rose by $179/ton (+4.97%) to $3,779/ton. Other contract terms saw price increases of $173-176/ton.
Similarly, on the New York exchange, the price of Arabica coffee for September 2026 delivery increased by 19 US cents/pound (+5.3%) to 377.75 US cents/pound; the price for December 2026 delivery increased by 19 US cents/pound (+5.89%) to 341.65 US cents/pound; the March 2026 contract price increased by 17.1 US cents/pound (+5.52%) to 326.85 US cents/pound. Other contracts saw price increases of 14.95-15.75 cents/pound.
According to Barchart , coffee prices surged, with arabica reaching a 7.5-month high, while robusta hit a 1.5-week peak due to renewed concerns about tightening supply as harvesting progress in Brazil remains slower than last year.
Cooxupé, one of Brazil's largest coffee producers and traders, announced on August 20 that its member farmers had completed 81.1% of their harvest as of August 14. This represents a 7 percentage point increase from the previous week but remains lower than the 86.1% achieved during the same period last year.
Data from Safras & Mercado, a Brazilian agricultural consulting and analysis firm, also shows that harvesting progress is slower than usual. As of August 12th, the Brazilian coffee crop for the 2026-2027 season was only 90% complete, lower than the 97% at the same time last year and the five-year average of 94%. Arabica coffee alone reached 86%, compared to 95% a year earlier.
The continued supply on the spot market is supporting arabica prices. Inventories of arabica coffee meeting delivery standards on ICE fell to 226,242 bags on Monday, the lowest level in 2.75 years.
Conversely, robusta supplies at ICE-certified warehouses are trending more abundant. Robusta inventories at ICE rose to 4,831 lots, the highest level in 8.75 months, which somewhat limited robusta's upward momentum.
The market also received some support from concerns related to Colombian supply. The 7.4 magnitude earthquake earlier this month affected the coffee-growing provinces of Caldas and Risaralda, two regions that contribute about a quarter of Colombia's coffee production. Colombia is currently the world's second-largest producer of arabica coffee.
Another factor supporting prices is concern that El Niño could impact next year's Brazilian coffee crop.
Coffee trading company Commercial predicts that El Niño could delay rainfall in Brazil in September and October, precisely when coffee plants typically flower, thus negatively impacting the 2026-2027 crop.
Although short-term supply is a market concern, dry weather in Brazil remains a factor that could limit the upward momentum of coffee prices.
Somar Meteorologia reported that in the week ending August 16, the Minas Gerais region, Brazil's main arabica-growing area, received only 0.6 mm of rain, equivalent to 11% of the historical average.
The drier-than-normal weather is creating favorable conditions for farmers to speed up the harvesting process, thereby helping to bring the new crop supply to market more quickly.