Farm-gate price

Farm-gate price is the actual amount of money a farmer receives directly at their farm for their coffee, before any costs for transport, export, or middlemen fees are added. Unlike stock exchange rates, this price truly reflects how much money goes into the hands of the person who grew the crops. In the specialty coffee world, the goal is to keep this price as high as possible to comfortably cover the costs of sustainable farming. For sourcing roasteries, it is the most important indicator of ethical trade, allowing them to verify if the farmer was fairly compensated for their hard work. This financial transparency helps build long-term relationships between the estate and the cafe, which is rare in the commodity market.