International prices of certain commodities being traded by the Philippines continued to rise in April, based on the World Bank’s latest report.
Figures from the World Bank showed that prices of coffee varieties like arabica and robusta sustained their upward momentum last month as the market was buffeted by supply shortfalls linked to lingering effects of weather-related shocks.
Average arabica prices surged by 63.95 percent to $8.64 per kilo in April from $5.27 per kilo recorded in the same period last year. The average quotation of robusta variety jumped by 28.37 percent to $5.43 per kilo from $4.23 per kilo.
The World Bank projected that the average quotations of arabica and robusta varieties will settle at $8.50 per kilo and $5.50 per kilo, respectively, in 2025. These figures were higher than the average prices of both varieties last year, at $5.62 per kilo and $4.41 per kilo, respectively.
Despite this, the international organization expects prices of these varieties to ease in 2026, primarily driven by higher arabica output in Colombia, the world’s second-largest arabica producer.
However, the World Bank said certain factors could dampen this upbeat outlook.
“This baseline forecast is subject to significant risks, particularly the upside risk that low rainfall and above-average temperatures earlier in the year could negatively affect the 2025–26 harvest in Brazil, the world’s leading coffee producer.”
Data from the World Bank also indicated that fertilizers like urea were more expensive last month due to stronger demand and production shortfalls. Average urea quotations climbed to $386.9 per metric ton (MT), from $320 per MT last year.
The international organization said it expects quotations of urea to rise by 15 percent this year to $390 per MT, higher than the $338 per MT average in 2024.
Corn prices also climbed by 12.15 percent to $215 per MT last month from $191.7 per MT in the previous year as “hotter and drier-than-normal weather in parts of South America” boosted quotations for the staple crop.
The World Bank, however, expects prices of the key crop to edge down by 2 percent this year at $187 per MT, due to increased tariffs on US-China trade and lower crude oil prices, “which reduce demand for ethanol, and thereby for maize.”
As for the Philippines’ top farm export, World Bank figures showed that the average prices of coconut oil swelled by 74.25 percent to $2,483 per MT in April from $1,425 per MT.
Given the sustained increase in prices of the tropical oil, the World Bank said average coconut oil quotations will settle at $1,800 per MT this year. This figure is higher than the average price of $1,519 per MT recorded in 2024.
Among the metal prices, however, World Bank data indicated that only global quotations of tin registered an increase in April. Tin prices inched up by 2.49 percent to $32,565 per MT last month from $31,775 per MT in the previous year.
It expects the average prices of tin to reach $31,000 per MT this year and $31,500 per MT in 2026 amid the steady growth in demand, “reaching near-record nominal levels on an annual average basis.” Its average price stood at $30,066 per MT in 2024.