Organic fertilizers are a significant factor in dictating whether coffee can be certified organic. Organic fertilizers can reduce soil erosion and increase fertility by lowering bulk density. This means that farmers are not only growing healthy coffee, but they are putting vital nutrients back into their soils to help the next crop. The coffee plant has a vital nutrient it produces – coffee pulp. Coffee pulp is the outside of the plant that can be salvaged and returned to the soil as an organic fertilizer. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the major nutrients that coffee plants need so by using the coffee pulp, cattle manure, bocachi and compost, and chicken manure and biogreen, farmers are able to supply those essential nutrients to the plant cheaper.

Prices of organic fertilizers vary widely. Because transportation costs are usually a primary hindrance, sourcing nearby fertilizers is almost essential for success. Organic fertilizers are cheaper in the long run because they replenish lost nutrients in the soil and thus help future generation organic coffee plants.

The problem with organic fertilizers is that “there is poor synchronization of nutrient availability and crop demand, as organic fertilizers release their nutrients slowly and not necessarily at the times when nutrients are required by crops”. This means that growing organic coffee is slower because the nutrients take time to release, thus slowing the growth rate of the plant. Using inorganic fertilizers permits faster growth of plants because it is modified to sustain a larger yield. Inorganic fertilizers must be bought, brought onto the farm, as opposed to say recycled manure of cattle or chicken. Even though it must be bought, farmers are able to use less inorganic fertilizer because it is more concentrated than organic, but in the long run organic helps the soils and is healthier. Even though organic fertilizers are less expensive than inorganic, consumers see a higher price with organic coffee. Environmentally-conscious consumers may be willing to pay this premium.
Organic coffee imports to the United States and Canada dramatically increases.
Most of these imports are also sold within the United States and Canada.
Due to organic coffee’s higher value (it has the greatest value of any organic import in North America) than that of conventional coffee, it only takes up approximately 3% in volume of North America’s coffee market, yet its piece of the market concerning value is slightly greater than that of conventional coffee. Organic coffee accounts for about one-third of all U.S. organic beverage sales.