Coffee Shortage Expected Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic in South America may lead to a coffee shortage, reports Bloomberg.

Due to reduced working hours, bank closures, transportation difficulties, and workers' fears, it is possible that there simply won't be enough people to gather coffee beans. This is especially true for Colombia, Brazil, and Peru. The harvest is expected to begin next month; however, many workers are leaving the plantations due to the high risk of contagion and low wages. The market is already anticipating an increase in coffee prices.