At a Glance (China Coffee Network): The Lincang Specialty Coffee Association has issued a 2026/2027 coffee cherry purchasing initiative setting a minimum protective reference price of no less than 3.0 yuan per kg for standard ripe cherries delivered to plants, calling for public posting of grade-based prices, quality-linked pricing, premium prices for premium beans, and strict adherence to primary-processing standards.
(Source: Lincang Media)
Lincang Specialty Coffee Association Initiative on 2026/2027 Coffee Cherry Purchasing
To all member units and processing enterprises:
To gradually curb premature and mixed harvesting by growers, secure raw-material supply for processors, improve cherry quality, mobilize member units and processing enterprises, sustain expansion of processing capacity, effectively protect growers’ returns and steadily raise product quality, and in light of the actual development of Lincang’s coffee industry, we hereby issue the following initiative to primary coffee processors for the 2026/2027 cherry purchasing season:
I. Improve the benefit-sharing mechanism
All member units must strictly implement the already signed Coffee Industry Benefit-Linking Purchasing Agreement, spelling out rights and responsibilities for base management, cherry harvesting, quality standards, purchase volumes, purchase prices, settlement cycles and technical services.
First, enforce the minimum protective price system: when market prices fall below the protective price, purchase cherries from contracted cooperatives and growers without limit at the minimum protective price. Second, strictly apply the principle of “premium prices for premium quality, grade-based pricing”, publishing the delivered price of each batch to growers and cooperatives with reference to the association’s reference cherry prices and cherry quality. Third, support cooperatives in training growers to raise base management standards.
By organizing scattered growers through cooperatives – unified management, unified training, unified harvesting – a closed loop takes shape in which bases manage quality, growers manage volume, enterprises manage purchasing and processing, and cooperatives handle organization and coordination, gradually replacing a situation where growers work alone and enterprises scramble for cherries without order.
II. Establish a public posting system for coffee cherry purchase prices
(I) Specify the minimum protective purchase price
For the 2026/2027 season, the minimum protective reference price for standard ripe Lincang coffee cherries delivered to processing plants shall be no less than 3.0 yuan per kg.
(II) Post grade-based purchase prices publicly
1. Pricing principle: The Lincang coffee benchmark price is aligned with international coffee futures, using the New York ICE Type C Arabica coffee futures settlement price as the pricing benchmark, while also referencing commercial bean spot quotes from leading companies such as Nestle, Starbucks and Luckin Coffee, and comprehensively accounting for processing, logistics, tax and other costs. Grade 1 green beans are converted at the season-average dry-to-fresh ratio of 6.3:1; a futures move of more than 10 US cents triggers one stepped price adjustment. See the 2026/2027 Lincang Coffee Qualified Cherry Delivered-Price Reference Table for details.
2. Reference price for specialty coffee cherries. Apply “premium prices for premium quality, high prices for specialty beans”, and encourage pricing by growing region, variety and planting altitude, or a second premium based on batch cupping scores.
3. Cherry harvesting and purchasing standards. Strictly follow DB53/T 149.4-2023 Coffea arabica Part 4: Primary Processing of Green Beans, carrying out grade-separated harvesting, grade-separated holding and grade-separated purchasing, and insisting on quality-linked pricing and premium prices for premium quality. Stripping the whole tree in one pass is prohibited, as is mixing ripe, green, dried and diseased cherries.
The reference price is a market-oriented reference for the opening of large-scale harvesting in the new season. Once the market opens, participants may negotiate and transact in an orderly way, on the principle of better fruit earning better prices, according to cherry ripeness and quality; it is not the sole pricing basis for Lincang coffee cherries. The actual delivered cherry prices applied by member enterprises must be posted locally, whether through WeChat announcements or notice boards at township and village level, so that cooperatives and growers have full and smooth access to the information.
III. Uphold industry self-discipline
(I) Honour contracts in good faith
Strictly apply posted purchase prices, honour purchasing agreements, pay growers for their cherries in full and on time, and prohibit arrears, unilateral cancellation of orders and downgrading or price squeezing. Brand marketing must be conducted properly: do not fabricate information on origin, estate, batch or cupping scores, and do not misuse or exaggerate organic, green or specialty grades or product traceability claims.
(II) Regulate cherry harvesting management
Keep to a fully ripe cherry purchasing policy, guiding growers and cooperatives to pick only fully ripe fruit; prohibit premature harvesting and keep out rotten, mouldy and pest-damaged cherries so as to protect the flavour quality and market reputation of Lincang coffee. Member enterprises should complete purchasing and production preparations in advance – equipment overhaul, staff training and storage facilities – to ensure orderly and safe production once weighing begins.
(III) Strictly observe primary-processing standards
Apply washed, natural, honey and fermentation processes properly; keep processing sites clean; strictly control risks of mould, off-odours and contaminants; keep complete batch production records; implement traceability for green bean products; and steadily roll out unified “Lincang Coffee” traceability management.
Lincang Specialty Coffee Association, November 12, 2026
Note: The reference price is based on the New York ICE Type C Arabica coffee futures settlement price, with the USD/CNY exchange rate taken as 1:6.71 for calculation.
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