Introduction:At the beginning of 2024, news about "unsold Yunnan coffee" briefly captured public attention—but what is the real situation? This article takes you deep into the Pu'er production area to uncover the price trends of small-bean coffee per kilogram, clarify the truth behind the unsold rumors, and analyze the key factors of quality and market supply and demand. Whether you're a coffee farmer, trader, or simply want to learn how to select high-quality Yunnan beans, you’ll gain practical insights.

In April this year, a news report about "Yunnan coffee beans being unsold" cast a shadow over the entire industry and caused anxiety among many coffee farmers and professionals. But if you look closely at the actual data and market dynamics, the truth is not as simple as it seems on the surface.

According to local statistics, at the time, only about 3,000 to 4,000 tons of coffee beans remained unsold in Pu'er’s main production areas, some of which were beans that did not meet quality standards. It’s worth noting that truly high-quality small-bean coffee is still in short supply, showing that the core issue is not about "quantity," but "quality."

In fact, this year, due to a significant increase in Brazilian coffee production, the international market has experienced a supply-demand imbalance, which in turn affected overall coffee bean prices. Prices have been falling from their early-year highs, causing many farmers who held back sales last year to miss out on expected profits. However, for producers focused on maintaining stable quality, the demand for high-quality beans remains strong.

According to industry insider information, the purchase price of coffee beans in the Pu'er area this year has generally remained around 20 yuan per kilogram. Although this is about one-third lower than the same period last year, it is still higher than the production cost range (approximately 13 to 15 yuan per kilogram). In other words, for the average coffee farmer, as long as the quality meets basic standards, there is still a certain profit margin.

Notably, major international buyers such as Nestlé have already exceeded their planned procurement targets this year and have additionally purchased about 2,000 more tons, showing that international brands still have confidence in Yunnan coffee’s stable supply. In addition, Ai Ni Group, one of Starbucks’ raw material suppliers, also publicly stated that it will continue to purchase from farmers meeting the standards under a policy of offering premium prices for premium quality.

However, the most directly affected group in this wave of price fluctuations is actually the middlemen. It is understood that some middlemen stockpiled large quantities of coffee beans between September and December last year at prices of 25 to 30 yuan per kilogram. At that time, the cost of purchasing berries alone had already reached 4 to 5 yuan per kilogram, meaning the cost of green coffee beans had already ranged between 28 to 35 yuan. As prices subsequently declined, these inventories became a heavy burden. Even worse, some beans were stored under inadequate conditions, leading to mold and severe quality degradation.

The Yunnan Coffee Industry Association pointed out that over the past decade, due to continuously rising coffee prices, many coffee farmers and processing plants gradually relaxed their quality control, resulting in a mix of good and bad beans in the market. Once the market cooled down, the lower-quality beans bore the brunt. Therefore, if they hope to stand firm in the competitive international market in the future, improving quality standards and stabilizing production capacity will be key to the continued growth of Yunnan’s coffee industry.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.