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Coffee from around the world

Coffee is one of the world’s most widely consumed beverages and among the most traded commodities globally, supporting millions of livelihoods, generating employment throughout the global value chain and providing an important source of revenue for many producing countries. Its significance extends beyond the daily ritual enjoyed by millions of consumers. Coffee production and trade contribute to poverty reduction, food security, women’s empowerment and economic growth in both exporting and importing countries.

Thursday, 1 October 2026 | 12.15 – 16.00 hours (CEST)

FAO headquarters | Webcast

“Celebrating Coffee, Honouring the People Behind Every Cup”

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has the honour to invite Members to join the inaugural celebration of International Coffee Day, to be held at FAO headquarters on Thursday, 1 October 2026, from 12.15 to 16.00 hours CEST.

The event will be inaugurated by FAO Director-General QU Dongyu in the Sheikh Zayed Centre. The ceremony will bring together FAO Members and partners to celebrate coffee’s economic, social, and cultural significance, as well as its contribution to livelihoods and sustainable agrifood systems. At the heart of the celebration will be the people, cultures, traditions and partnerships that bring coffee from farm to cup.

Following the inauguration, the FAO Director-General will open Taste the World of Coffee in the Kazakhstan Room. Guests will be invited to sample coffees from around the world and discover the unique traditions and stories behind each cup.

The programme will continue in the FAO MuNe FoodS Lab with Around the World in a Cup, featuring coffee preparation and brewing demonstrations, cultural practices, and storytelling.

Throughout the day, the FAO MuNe Museum will present Coffee Across Cultures, a guided tour to explore coffee’s history and rich cultural heritage.

Members are warmly invited to take part in this inaugural celebration and experience the diversity, heritage and stories of coffee from around the world.

View the International Coffee Day Provisional Programme

For more information, please contact: [email protected]

#CoffeeDay

Why International Coffee Day?

Coffee supports millions of livelihoods worldwide and plays an important economic, social and cultural role across producing and consuming countries. International Coffee Day recognizes this contribution while drawing attention to the need for a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive coffee sector, particularly for smallholder farmers.

FAO Members endorsed the establishment of International Coffee Day on 1 October, a date that traditionally marks the beginning of the coffee year and, in many producing regions, the start of the harvest. On 10 March 2026, the United Nations General Assembly officially designated 1 October as International Coffee Day through resolution A/RES/80/248.

The annual observance provides a platform to raise awareness, share knowledge and foster collaboration across the coffee value chain, bringing together producers, governments, communities, civil society, academia, international organizations and the private sector.

Did you Know?

Brazil and Viet Nam together account for nearly 50 percent of world coffee production.

The coffee sector supports the livelihoods of up to 25 million farmers and their families.

Smallholder farms are estimated to represent as much as 80 percent of coffee farms worldwide.

Arabica and Robusta are the two main coffee varieties produced and traded worldwide. Arabica represents approximately 60 percent of global production.

In 2024, world coffee production exceeded 11 million tonnes.

In 2024, the global value of coffee production was estimated at USD 25 billion, while world coffee trade exceeded USD 34 billion.

Source: FAO, 2026 and ICO, 2019

Key facts

Global Commodity

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world and among the most traded commodities globally.

Smallholder Farming

Smallholder farms are estimated to represent as much as 80 percent of coffee farms worldwide.

Farmer Livelihoods

The coffee sector supports the livelihoods of up to 25 million farmers and their families.

Economic Importance

The coffee sector generates employment throughout the value chain and is a key source of export revenues for many producing countries (see economic impact below)

Leading Producers

Brazil and Viet Nam together account for nearly 50 percent of world coffee production.

Leading Markets

The European Union and the United States of America are the largest coffee-consuming and importing markets globally.

Coffee Varieties

There are two main coffee varieties produced and traded worldwide: Arabica and Robusta.

Arabica

Arabica represents approximately 60 percent of global coffee production and is primarily used in the roast and ground coffee market.

Robusta

Robusta, typically priced lower than Arabica, is mainly used in instant coffee and for blending.

What are the volumes of coffee production, exports and trade?

Coffee production exceeded 11 million tonnes, with approximately 8 million tonnes exported, an estimated production value of USD 25 billion and a trade value that exceeded USD 34 billion.

Which countries lead global coffee exports, and which are the largest importers?
Brazil and Viet Nam are the leading exporters, while the European Union and the United States of America are the largest importers.

How important are coffee exports for food imports?
Coffee export revenues exceeded the food import bills of Uganda and Ethiopia and represented about 20 percent of Burundi’s food import bill.

Which countries dominate global coffee trade?
Brazil, Viet Nam, Colombia, Uganda and Indonesia account for 70 percent of world exports

Where is global coffee consumption growing, and who are the largest consumers?
World coffee consumption has grown by nearly 2 percent annually over the past three decades, driven by rising demand in Asia and Africa. Brazil, the United States of America, the European Union and Japan remain the largest consumers.

Source: FAO 2026

Highlights

Story

Traditional Colombian coffee… with a youthful touch

Story

The hands behind a cup of coffee in Panama

About the Act Coffee Programme

01/07/2026

Economically and culturally, we are all connected by coffee. It is one of the most traded commodities in the world and supports millions of livelihoods...