Poor Farmer

"African coffee production and quality had been affected by liberalization of the sector which has allowed unscrupulous individuals to join the coffee marketing without conforming to the best practices. ... it is important to strengthen the coffee sector and promote its sustainable expansion in a market based environment for the betterment of all the participants in the sector." - ICO official, Jose Sette East Africa: Poor Quality Cheapens Region's Coffee Trade Stephen NuwagiraKampala East African Business Week (via AllAfrica ) March 3, 2008 Africa's coffee trade is headed for worse times unless issues of poor quality and low production are urgently addressed, coffee experts and processors attending the 5th Africa fine coffee association conference and exhibition in Kampala were told recently. The decline of coffee quality in the region which was blamed on the poor practices right from the farm through to the processing plant has greatly affected the region's co...

Vietnam Agency via VNECONOMY : March 4, 2008 Viet Nam’s coffee exports to Morocco have increased in recent years, according to the Viet Nam Coffee Association (VCA). In 2007, Viet Nam exported 10,494 tonnes of coffee to Morocco for 18.8 million USD. This represents roughly 30 percent of the country’s total imported coffee. Coffee is currently a leading Vietnamese export to Morocco , accounting for 41 percent of the country’s total export value to the market. The VCA said Viet Nam’s coffee exports to Morocco can reach 13,000 to 14,000 tonnes annually if trade promotions are well implemented. Morocco is considered among the world’s leading importers of unprocessed coffee, bringing in roughly 28,000 tonnes annually.

By Josh Fineman Bloomberg March 3, 2008 Starbucks Corp. Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz named Cliff Burrows to run the coffee chain's U.S. operations, replacing Launi Skinner in a management overhaul aimed at reversing declining customer visits. Burrows, president of Starbucks' Europe, Middle East and Africa stores, will take over the U.S. position on March 12. Skinner stepped down after six months on the job to spend more time with her family, Starbucks said in a statement today. Schultz, who built the local Seattle coffee chain into a company with almost 16,000 cafes, has been appointing new executives since his return as CEO last month after a seven-year hiatus. The chain reported its first quarterly drop in U.S. customer visits last year, and Schultz said in January that he would slow the pace of store growth and close 100 locations. Skinner, 43, became head of the U.S. division in September after serving as leader of store development since 2004. She joined Starbuck...