Coffee shortage in Russia reported as traders cancel shipments
March 31 - 2022
Coffee Geography Magazine
The sanction on Russia is now active as traders redirect their orders and shipments from the Black Sea ports. Russia has become a major coffee importer recently as specialty coffee drinking adopted by many in the country. However robusta coffee beans are the primarily import to the country to make instant coffee. Major shipping lines Maersk and CMA and MSC have suspended cargo shipments to and from Russia and Ukrainian ports which are under Russian control. Green coffee traders in Russia have now faced difficulty to buy robusta from India, Indonesia and Vietnam as the ruble lost more than 25 per cent of the value against the dollar since the start of the war.
Drastic drop in demand is expected in the coming months as supply would eventually dwindle to reach roasters in major cities. Coffee traders in Europe are also having difficulty to export to Ukraine as the logistics are completely collapsed due to the heavy aerial bombardment by the Russian army.
A coffee exporter based in Ho Chi Minh City is among the traders who cancelled his shipment which is entirely robusta destined to Russia without any foreseeable future to resume. Russian coffee culture has developed rapidly during the past decade with numbers of third wave coffee shops and specialty coffee roasters appeared all over the country. Historically, coffee drinking was prudently developed by Peter the Great I, but only rich could afford it. In the 19th century coffee culture in Russia fell due to social and political crisis. During the Soviet Union period, coffee was in shortage and it was really hard to get a smell of the brew. It was common that people turned into substitutes such as chicory roots and barley as coffee.