Charted: The top coffee producers in the world
Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. The beans used to brew espresso, cappuccinos and lattes among other popular coffee drinks are grown commercially in over 70 countries globally. In this story, we explore the world’s top coffee producers. We use data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to analyze the world’s top producers by volume.
Where coffee comes from
According to the FAO, more than 10 million tonnes of coffee was grown globally in 2022. That is an incredible amount of coffee. For reference, 1 metric tonne of coffee is approximately 2,200 one-pound bag of beans. That is a whole lot of beans!
The bulk of coffee is grown in the southern hemisphere in countries located in what is often referred to as the coffee belt — countries that are located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The map below shows countries where coffee is grown.
The top coffee producing nations
For coffee lovers, the top five producers should come as no surprise. Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, Colombia, and Ethiopia have been top coffee-producing nations for years and beans from these countries can be found readily at local cafes and grocery stores alike. These countries are located in the prime coffee regions of the world — the coffee belt (countries located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn).
At the end of 2022, the top 10 coffee-producing countries accounted for 81% of the market share. Brazil and Vietnam — first and second on the list — collectively make up almost half the market. Brazil by itself accounts for almost 30% of the global production.
There are three major coffee-growing regions in the world — Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and Africa and the Middle East. The Central and South America region produced the most coffee beans in 2022, accounting for almost 40% of all the coffee grown that year. Four countries from this region are among the top 10 while the Southeast Asia and Africa and the Middle East regions each have three spots a piece in the top 10.
Below is a table showing national coffee production figures for 2022 along with production trends for each country between 2018 and 2022.
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