In addition to the reduction in production, the international
price of other mild Arabicas fell sharply by 55 % between
September 2011 and December 2013, from 274 to 126 USD
per 46 kg (100 lb) of green coffee (Fig. 3), while production
costs reached their highest level in the last decade, for instance:
139 USD per 46 kg of green coffee in 2012–13 in
Costa Rica, a 109 % increase on the previous 10 years; and
143 USD per 46 kg in 2011–12 in Guatemala, a 97%increase
from 2002 to 2003 (ICO 2014). Therefore, coffee was not
profitable when coffee rust impacted Central America in
2012. Smallholders did not even benefit from the recovery
of international prices during 2014, as they sold their coffee
immediately after harvest, mainly at the cherry stage. Currently,
the smallholder’s situation is worrisome, as many do not
cultivate basic grain crops for subsistence and their livelihood
depends solely on coffee.