Coffee bean price rise hard to swallow

COFFEE drinkers can expect to pay more for lattes as the cost of premium beans rises again.

Cafes are likely to add another 20 cents to a caffeine hit on top of the 20 to 40 cent rises they have already added in the past year, according to Gary Brown of Ricca Coffee Company in Thebarton.

Mr Brown says the price of coffee beans on the US futures market has risen about 100 per cent over the past year and the effect was starting to be felt in Australia.

"Adelaide roasters have already been paying upwards of 50 per cent more for their green arabica coffee beans over the past year and based on current indicators a similar increase over the next six to 12 months is not out of the question," he said.

The trend is backed by the latest agricultural markets research published by agribusiness bank Rabobank showing arabica coffee beans - considered to produce a superior taste to robusta - had reached prices not seen since the 1970s.

(Source: http://www.news.com.au/coffee-bean-price-rise-hard-to-swallow/story-e6frede3-1226025729773?from=public_rss)