Coffee prices climb sharply on federal exchange

The price of Tierra Verde coffee rose 18 percent on the federal exchange in the past six weeks, reaching 2.84 florins per kilogram on Tuesday. The climb reflects a tightening global supply after severe weather disrupted harvests in competing regions, and it has lifted the mood in San Vicente's cooperative halls for the first time since the spring drought warnings.

Smallholder farmers who held their harvest through the summer are now seeing a return that covers their input costs and leaves room for reinvestment. The Cooperative Council reported that member farms are asking about expanding their plantings, and several new applicants have approached the federation about joining.

Yet the surge carries a warning: prices this high are rarely stable, and the region's own weather remains uncertain as the season turns toward October. Harvest captains say the recent rains have been adequate, but the memory of three consecutive months without precipitation is still fresh.