Fairtrade International has announced new minimum prices for coffee, raising the floor prices for Arabica and Robusta beans after a year-long review of production costs and market conditions.
The new prices will take effect from 1 December after a consultation process with stakeholders. The final decision was made by Fairtrade International’s standards committee, a multi-stakeholder body that includes representation from farmers and commercial partners.
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Under the changes, the Fairtrade Minimum Price for washed Arabica will rise to $2.00 per lb, up $0.20 (around 11%) from $1.80 per lb.
Fairtrade International said washed Arabica accounts for more than 80% of all Fairtrade coffee sold.
For natural Robusta, the minimum price will increase by $0.10 to $1.30 per lb (around an 8% increase). Natural Robusta represents less than 10% of Fairtrade coffee sales, the organisation added.
It said the minimum prices for natural Arabica and washed Robusta will also increase, by $0.20 and $0.10 respectively.
Fairtrade International confirmed it will retain the existing Fairtrade Premium and organic differential, keeping them at $0.20 per lb and $0.40 per lb respectively. It said recent historically high coffee prices and a desire to maintain predictability for cooperatives and traders were factors in leaving these elements unchanged.
The Fairtrade Minimum Price acts as a global floor price that applies when market prices fall below the Fairtrade level. Fairtrade International noted coffee prices have not fallen below $2.00 per lb since March 2024.
As part of its wider approach, Fairtrade International said it will conduct a full review of its coffee prices every four years.
Colleen Anunu, Fairtrade International’s senior advisor for coffee, added: “Coffee farmers want to earn a dignified livelihood. The Fairtrade pricing structure is a critical safety net for cooperatives that supports farmer resilience in the face of climate change and emerging regulatory pressures and also supports the security of global supply chains. It is the only market pricing intervention that involves such rigor and transparency.”
The organisation said its cost-of-production analysis drew on data from 57 cooperatives in 13 countries for the 2023–2024 crop period, with figures updated for inflation and exchange rates to September 2025. Fairtrade said it received feedback from more than 600 respondents during a consultation period.
