World's Top 5 Coffee Producing Countries

With coffee shops around every corner, it's no surprise that coffee is one of the best commodities in the world. As the third most consumed beverage globally, after water and tea, coffee beans are in high demand almost everywhere.

The ideal conditions for the growth of coffee trees all over the world are found along the equatorial region called the "bean belt", which lies between latitudes 25°N and 30°S.

While some of the largest coffee-producing countries are well known, others may come as a surprise. More than 70 countries produce coffee, but the majority of global production comes from the five largest producers: Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, and Ethiopia.

Each of the most productive countries produces billions of kilograms of coffee beans that reach the hands of enthusiastic consumers. According to the International Coffee Organization, a total of 169.6 million 60kg bags of coffee were produced worldwide in 2020.

Top 10 Coffee Producing Countries 

Rank	Country	Production in 2020 (Million 60-kg Bags)
1	Brazil	63.4
2	Vietnam	29.0
3	Colombia	14.3
4	Indonesia	12.0
5	Ethiopia	7.3
6	Honduras	6.1
7	India	5.7
8	Uganda	5.6
9	Mexico	4.0
10	Peru	3.8

(source: Visual Capitalist)

Below, we will get to know the top 5 coffee-producing countries.

5. Ethiopia

Coffee legends tell of the discovery of the first coffee trees in Ethiopia - it's not hard to believe that coffee comes from a forest of wild coffee trees that are still the main source of the crop. Wet brewed coffee from Ethiopia comes from one of three main growing regions - Sidamo, Harar, and Kaffa - and is often referred to by one of these names. 

Known for the Arabica coffee crop, it is known for its excellent, earthy, and full-bodied coffee beans. This style of coffee is becoming a popular choice in cafés and restaurants all around the world.

 

4. Indonesia

Indonesia's location and climate have helped it become the world's third-largest producer of robusta. Total production, including Robusta and Arabica, reached 10.7 million bags of 60 kg in the marketing year 2019-2020. In Indonesia, there are 1.2 million hectares of coffee plantations; Most of the crop was taken up by small and independent farms, each with one to two hectares, with various ways of growing coffee for each region.

Indonesia produces several types of specialty coffee that are in great demand, one of which is Kopi Luwak, Toraja, Aceh Gayo, and Flores Bajawa. Kopi Luwak, harvested from the dung of Luwak, has a distinctive and unique taste. The process of collecting and harvesting the beans is very intensive, and the result is one of the most expensive coffee beans in the world.

Also read: 5 Regions That Produces The Best Indonesian Coffee Beans

 

3. Colombia

Colombia is perhaps the most famous coffee producer in the world and ranks second in the world in annual production. 

A famous advertising campaign featuring a fictional coffee grower named Juan Valdez helped rank Colombia as one of the most famous coffee-producing countries. Colombia is known for the quality of its coffee and is expected to produce 14.3 million 60 kg coffee bags in 2019-2020.

For several years starting in 2008, Colombian coffee plants have been affected by a foliage disease known as coffee rust. Production declined but has since recovered as the state replaced trees with rust-resistant varieties.

Colombia ranks second in the production of Arabica, and millions of people around the world prefer its light and balanced taste.

High standards of excellence are maintained with great pride and careful growth on thousands of small family farms across the country. This care and attention produce consistently good light coffee, with balanced acidity. Colombia's rugged landscape provides an ideal natural environment for growing, but its terrain makes it difficult to transport the harvested coffee beans to production and shipping centers. Even today, this is often done by donkeys or jeeps. 

Colombian Supremo, the highest grade, has a mild aromatic sweet taste while Excelso grade is milder and slightly sour.

2. Vietnam

Coffee originally arrived in Vietnam in the mid-19th century when French missionaries brought Arabica trees from Bourbon Island and planted them around Tonkin. Recently, coffee has been reintroduced and the coffee industry is growing so fast that Vietnam is quickly becoming one of the largest producers in the world. Today, small farms, located in the southern part of the country, mostly produce Robusta coffee. 

Relatively new to the international coffee trade, Vietnam is quickly becoming one of the largest producers. In the 1980s, the Communist Party made big bets on coffee, increasing production by 20% to 30% annually during the 1990s, completely transforming the country's economy. Vietnam is expected to produce 32.2 million 60kg bags of coffee in 2019-2020, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

Vietnam has found a niche in the international market by focusing mainly on the cheapest Robusta beans. Robusta beans can contain up to twice as much caffeine as Arabica beans, giving the coffee a more bitter taste. Vietnam is the world's number one robusta coffee producer, accounting for more than 40% of global production in the 2019-2020 marketing year.

1. Brazil

Brazil is the largest coffee-producing country in the world because the space available for its production seems endless. Coffee plantations in Brazil often cover large areas of land and require hundreds of people to manage and operate them to produce large quantities of coffee. 

Both Arabica and Robusta are grown. Climate, soil quality, and elevation determine which variety will grow best in which region. 

The country itself produces nearly 40% of the world's coffee supply. Coffee plantations cover about 27,000 square kilometers of Brazil, most of which are located in Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Parana.

Brazil distinguishes itself from most coffee-producing countries by drying the cherries in the sun (unwashed coffee) rather than washing them.

The country is so influential in coffee production that the 60-kilogram burlap sacks historically used to export grain from Brazil are still the global standard for measuring production and trade.

Also read: Do You Know Where and How is Coffee Grown?