BBC News | BUSINESS | Coffee farmers 'face destitution' (#)
„The BBC's Elaine Parke"The price of beans internationally has slumped" real 56k Sergio Amaral, Assoc Coffee Producing Countries"We are going to reduce supply" real 56k The BBC's Helen Wade "The market for coffee is big business but it seems that market is now in crisis" real 56k Wednesday, 16 May, 2001, 11:03 GMT 12:03 UK Coffee farmers 'face destitution' Top prices are charged for coffee in the high street Millions of coffee farmers in developing countries are living in extreme poverty while business corporations in the industry continue to make record profits, according to a report published by the international development charity Oxfam. The report comes ahead of the first World Coffee Conference, a three-day gathering of leading figures in the industry in London, which begins on Thursday. Oxfam fails to address the fundamental economics of the coffee market in the long term British Coffee Association Oxfam is concerned at the growing disparity of wealth between different parts of the coffee industry, following a 60% drop in the value of the crop on international commodity markets in the last three years. The British Coffee Association has dismissed the report's findings at "too short term." Rich versus poor Oxfam says that, in real terms, coffee prices are lower than they have ever been.“
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1333000/ 1333204.stm - Cached
See Technorati for links to this site, see Alexa for related sites and search this website for ›World Coffee‹.
BBC News | BUSINESS | Globalisation and me
„I was amazed to discover that coffee grows as two green beans inside a bright red cherry, the finest coffee is hand-picked by small poor farmer, subject to weather and market fluctuations and can pass through as many as fifty hands on its way to my cup each making a buck on the way, except the farmers. Frenzied trading All Arabica coffee is traded on the coffee, sugar and cocoa exchange in New York where in frenzied trading pits producers, roasters and scalpers shout at the top of their voices and wave their hands frantically trading future contracts of coffee in units of 38,500 pounds without a coffee bean in sight. Now the coffee price has fallen to an all time low. And that is due to Vietnam (of all places) quickly becoming the second largest producer of coffee in the world.“
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1505000/ 1505787.stm
-
Cached
BBC NEWS | Business | Coffee buzz lifts wartorn Rwanda
„ Why cheap beans don't make cheap coffee “
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3498712.stm
-
Cached
„Coffee FactsCoffee beans grow on small trees.It takes the annual yield of one tree to produce one pound of roasted beans.Coffee beans are grown in subtropical regions around the world.The biggest growers are Brazil and Columbia.Commercial coffee crops are of two main types: Robustas and Arabicas.Robusta coffee has twice as much caffeine as Arabica.It takes about 40 beans to make an espresso.Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans are the most expensive in the world.Coffee beans of several types are roasted together to produce appealing flavours.Coffee can be used as a breakfast drink (or as just plain breakfast), with a luncheon snack, or for after-dinner with desert. Not only does it wake you up and keep you going, but the smell also invigorates the room that you are in. However, coffee does not have to be taken alone: there are a myriad of coffee snacks, which enliven the experience.“
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/a1675
-
Cached
BBC NEWS | Business | East African coffee growers fight back
„Coffee prices reached their lowest level for almost 40 years at the start of 2002. Kenya produces some of the world's top grade Arabica coffee beans but quality and output have fallen because the poor prices have persuaded farmers to turn to other crops. "If the quality of the coffee produced in the regions improves, then farmers will get better prices," Mr Kawuma said. The EAFCA hopes it can improve coffee growing practices which have deteriorated as earnings have fallen.“
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2225803.stm
-
Cached
BBC NEWS | Business | Why cheap beans don't make cheap coffee
„Are there other factors that influence the level of world coffee production? Sometimes storms, a late frost, crop disease, war, exchange rate fluctuations or other unpredictable events can force coffee farmers out of business. While at other times, centralised political decisions to produce more or less will affect output levels. Small farmers are often encouraged to grow more coffee by governments eager to boost their exports earnings.“
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1307081.stm
-
Cached
Archived in World Coffee