Cafe Owners Rattled By Colombia Tariffs – CoffeeTalk
The coffee industry is easing tensions after the White House announced it would pause impending tariffs on Colombia, but the uncertainty has put many on edge. Coffee prices are already at an all-time high, with specialty Arabica beans increasing more than 80% in 2024 due to extended drought affecting Brazil and Vietnam, the world’s two largest coffee producers. Colombia is the third largest coffee producer in the world, making up more than 20% of U.S. coffee imports between 2023-24.
The 25% emergency tariff announced by President Donald Trump on Colombian goods caused concern for local coffee shops and roasters. Josh White, owner of the non-profit Heretic Coffee Co. in Southeast Portland, said that if a 25% tariff goes through, he could not afford the coffee. Even if he could cover the tariffs up front, they would eventually have to pass that expense on to the customers.
Trump threatened tariffs as a retaliatory measure after Colombia refused to accept two military flights carrying deportees from the US. Since taking office last week, Trump has declared “illegal immigration a national emergency” and has started sending flights of migrants to Guatemala, Mexico, and Colombia. Colombia’s Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said the country had “overcome the impasse with the U.S. government” and agreed to accept those returning as deportees.
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Source: Coffee Talk