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...

Coffee pickers in Ethiopia The directors of a feature-documentary about the coffee trade explain why they became involved and what they hope to achieve Guardian February 27, 2008 There will probably be people reading this while slurping a latte in one of the hundreds of coffee shops that are firmly rooted into the high street. Sometimes called the 'third place', not home and not work, these shops have become the social fulcrum of society . Britain's obsession with coffee recently prompted the consumer organisation Which? , to release a report about the quality of coffee shops. It's bad news for anyone reading this in Starbucks, Costa and Cafe Nero and good news for those sitting in an independent coffee shop. Apparently, in an independent, you'll get a better quality coffee and pay less for it. Regardless of where you get your fix, one thing you're unlikely to find in a cafe are details as to how much of the price of your latte makes it back to the coffee farme...

By Edith Fortunate The Standard February 26, 2008 Stung by persistent cries of unfair trade practices from developing countries, international coffee buyers and roasters are moving to buy the crop from farmers. However, they will have to provide farmers with skills and equipment to ensure quality, according to the East African Fine Coffees Association (EAFCA), which has struck a deal with international buyers like Starbucks and Neumann Group. EAFCA, a regional non-profit association made up of Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) countries, believes farmers will enjoy better revenue if middlemen are reduced and producers export value added coffee. "The aim is to help member countries develop quality specialty coffees, train and link them to the buyers after it is packed ready for consumption," said Mr Philip Gitao, EAFCA executive director. This relationship, he said, has yielded strong partnerships, including the agreements with some of the international bu...

The numbers are in, finally: Starbucks wants to buy 35 million pounds of coffee from Africa by 2009, a 100 percent increase from 17.6 million pounds it bought in 2006. Daily Guide February 21, 2008 Ghana is set to embark on various programs aimed at reviving its coffee sector as the country seeks to cut over reliance on cocoa for a bulk of its export earnings, Deputy Chief Executive of the state-run Ghana Cocoa Board, or Cocobod, told Dow Jones Newswires over the weekend. Charles Bernard Ntim said Cocobod, which is also in charge of the coffee sector, is set to embark on a five-year program. This will include rehabilitation of coffee plantations, replanting, provision of suitable planting materials to farmers as well as inputs like fertilizers to restore coffee output to around the 1980s level of 40,000 metric tons from 5,000 tons now. Meanwhile, Starbucks Corporation, the world's largest coffee chain expects to achieve its target of doubling coffee purchases from Africa by the e...

Sudan Tribune February 20, 2008 Ethiopia, Africa’s leading coffee exporter, planned its coffee export to increase by one third this year. Ethiopian Agriculture ministry disclosed. Export-promotion official under the ministry ,Solomon Tilahun, said “Ethiopia will ship 220,000 metric tones of beans in the year to June 30, 2008.” “In five years we plan to increase coffee production by 15%”Tilahun said. The horn of Africa nation has also planned to encourage foreign participation in the industry to help expand production and to boom foreign income. Ethiopian coffee, one of the top best coffee world wide, accountrs over 60% of the total foreign currency of the nation. The new strategy is based on encouraging and offering trainings to farmers working separately and in small scale level. “We plan to increase the productivity of small-holders by offering farmers trainings, incentives and advice” tilahun said Incentives include export-tax relief, suspention of leasing costs for between five a s...