Globally it is — but each region harvests only once a year, because coffee cherries need 8–10 months to ripen and ripening is tied to the rainy season.

Why Isn’t Coffee Harvested Year-Round?

Globally it is — but each region harvests only once a year, because coffee cherries need 8–10 months to ripen and ripening is tied to the rainy season.

Why that matters

The coffee plant follows a biological cycle driven by rainfall. After a rainy period, the plant produces white, jasmine-scented blossoms. These blossoms develop into coffee cherries that need 8–10 months to ripen. Only then can they be harvested.

In most growing regions, there is a clear dry season and a rainy season. Coffee flowers at the start of the rains and is harvested at the end of the following dry period. That gives one harvest window per year. In regions with two rainy seasons — Kenya or parts of Colombia — there are two harvests, though the main crop is significantly larger than the secondary one.

Globally, coffee is indeed harvested year-round — just in different countries at different times. When Brazil’s harvest ends (August), Central America’s begins (September). When Colombia’s main crop wraps up (January), fresh lots from Ethiopia arrive (March). This global harvest calendar puzzle ensures fresh coffee is always available somewhere in the world.

For roasters and cafés, this creates a logistical challenge: they need to know harvest timings, buy green coffee at the right moment, and plan inventory. Freshly roasted coffee from the current harvest (“current crop”) tastes better than coffee from the previous year’s harvest (“past crop”), because green coffee loses aroma over time.

At Green Wall Coffee

At our café on Sophienstraße 27 in Berlin-Lichtenberg, the seasonal rhythm shows up directly on the menu. In spring, the fresh East African lots arrive; in autumn, the Latin American ones. I like telling guests that coffee is as seasonal as strawberries — the supermarket has just managed to hide that fact.

Related Questions

• When is coffee harvest season?
• How is coffee harvested?
• Where is coffee grown worldwide?

More depth on this topic in the article How to Make Perfect Espresso. Or stop by at Sophienstraße 27 — Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat 10am–5pm.