Economy Desk
The United Nations General Assembly has officially proclaimed October 1 as International Coffee Day, a move welcomed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as recognition of the beverage’s cultural and economic importance worldwide.
The resolution, adopted on Tuesday in New York, acknowledges the “cultural, social and historical significance of coffee”, noting its journey from its origins to becoming an integral part of modern societies. It highlights coffee not only as a key agricultural commodity and source of livelihood but also as a symbol of social interaction, cultural expression and everyday traditions across generations.
The resolution also underscores coffee’s contribution to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including ending hunger (SDG 2), reducing extreme poverty (SDG 1), empowering women (SDG 5), and promoting decent work and economic growth (SDG 8).
“Coffee is more than a beverage; it is a globally traded commodity — from beans to the coffee service — that sustains the livelihoods of millions of farming households and connects rural communities to markets around the world,” said FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu.
He added that recognizing the value of the coffee sector would help raise awareness of its socio-economic importance and strengthen its role in poverty reduction.
The resolution was submitted to the General Assembly after being adopted by the FAO Conference at its 44th session in 2025. Under the decision, FAO has been invited to coordinate the observance of International Coffee Day in collaboration with relevant organizations, particularly the International Coffee Organization.
Coffee remains one of the most widely consumed beverages globally, with per capita consumption increasing by about 1.2 percent annually over the past decade. The sector supports the livelihoods of around 25 million farmers and provides employment across the entire coffee value chain, generating more than $200 billion in annual revenue worldwide.
It is also among the world’s most traded commodities. In 2024, global coffee production exceeded 11 million tonnes, with approximately 8 million tonnes of beans traded internationally. The total value of global coffee production was estimated at nearly $25 billion, while international trade in coffee beans reached about $34 billion.
For many developing countries, coffee exports remain a vital source of foreign exchange. In 2024, coffee accounted for 27.9 percent of total merchandise exports in Ethiopia, 20.1 percent in Uganda, and 19.5 percent in Burundi. In Ethiopia and Uganda, coffee export revenues exceeded the countries’ food import bills, while in Burundi they covered nearly 20 percent of the food import bill.
During the same year, Brazil and Vietnam were the leading coffee exporters, while the European Union and the United States were the world’s largest importers of coffee.
