Share your coffee stories with us by writing to info@comunicaffe.com.
MILAN – Coffee futures fell on both markets on Friday, 21 November 2025, following last Thursday’s announcement by the White House of the removal of the 40% punitive tariffs imposed in July on a range of Brazilian products, including coffee and cocoa.
In New York, the main contract for March delivery lost 1.9%, closing at a 7-week low 369.45 cents. In London, the benchmark contract for January delivery fell 2.7%, ending the week at $4,506.
The decline of the real, which reached its lowest level against the dollar in the last five weeks, also contributed to the downturn in coffee futures.
The Trump administration’s decision was welcomed by the National Coffee Association of the United States (NCA), the leading association of the US coffee industry.
The Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA) also expressed satisfaction, stating in a note that the new executive order promulgated by President Trump on 20 November corrected the distortions “created by tariffs between the main buyer and consumer market for coffee, the US, and the main global producer and exporter, Brazil.”
Tariffs between August and October contributed to exports of specialty coffee falling 55% to 190,000 60-kilogram bags versus the same period in 2024, according to BSCA
However, 40% tariffs remain in place on imports of processed coffee. This is a severe blow to the Brazilian industry, as the US accounts for 20% of soluble coffee exports.
Brazilian exports of soluble coffee to the United States have fallen by 52% since last August.
“Instant coffee was not included in the exemptions specified in the annexes to the Executive Orders,” the Brazilian Instant Coffee Association (ABICS) said in a statement. “This contrasts with the overall progress in bilateral negotiations and represents a continuing challenge for the sector.”
If tariffs are maintained, Brazil risks being permanently replaced by other suppliers, ABICS added.
“Once that market share and consumer loyalty are lost, future recovery will be an extremely difficult mission, with lasting losses for the entire national production chain,” ABICS concluded.
