BBC NEWS | Business | Oxfam launches 'Coffee Rescue' plan (#)

  „It suggests they trade only in quality coffee, pay farmers a "decent price" and back ICO attempts to rectify the problem 'Stunning policy failure' Oxfam estimates 8% more coffee is produced than necessary every year, causing a slump in export prices. World coffee prices in New York hit an all-time low of $0.42 per pound earlier this year, prompting sharp criticism of the contrast in retail prices. Oxfam claims export sales from poor countries were worth 30% of the total coffee market 10 years ago, but are now worth only 10%. The organisation is criticising the World Bank and International Monetary Fund for encouraging poorer countries to expand their export business without warning them of potential price crashes.“

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2264727.stm - Cached

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BBC NEWS | UK | England | Kraft criticised over coffee policy

  „The charity Oxfam says Cheltenham-based Kraft Foods is making billions in profits around the world, particularly from its coffee products, while farmers are facing bankruptcy.“

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/ 2724501.stm - Cached

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | GM decaf coffee plant created

  „But according to the trade body, the International Coffee Organisation (ICO), several major questions remain - not least over how the cost of the GM technology will compare with the industrial decaffeination process used currently. Bitter battle Pablo Dubois, from the ICO, said: "The global market for coffee is about $70bn a year, and decaf makes up about 10% of that. "The main issue would be the economics - is it going to be cheaper to buy GM seeds and grow them than to decaffeinate coffee as we do now?" Other researchers, some in commercial companies, have been working on GM decaf for several years. But Professor Alan Crozier, from the biochemistry department in Glasgow University, UK, says this is the first credible evidence that the GM decaffeination concept actually works.“

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/science/nature/ 3002112.stm - Cached

BBC News | BUSINESS | Coffee farmers 'face destitution'

  „Minimum wage Oxfam says the price of raw coffee exported from producer countries accounts for less than 7% of the eventual cost of coffee to Western consumers - the rest, over 90%, goes to coffee processors and retailers in rich countries. Oxfam cites increased profits at Nestle, the giant Swiss instant coffee processor, and the fashionable American coffee shop chain Starbucks as evidence of its case. It is calling for an internationally-agreed minimum coffee price of $1 per pound (0.454kg) - about double the lowest current levels. Report rejected In its first reaction, the British Coffee Association (BCA) said it shared Oxfam's concerns over low prices for producers.“

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1333000/ 1333204.stm - Cached

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | GM decaf coffee plant created

  „Bitter battle Pablo Dubois, from the ICO, said: "The global market for coffee is about $70bn a year, and decaf makes up about 10% of that. "The main issue would be the economics - is it going to be cheaper to buy GM seeds and grow them than to decaffeinate coffee as we do now?" Other researchers, some in commercial companies, have been working on GM decaf for several years. But Professor Alan Crozier, from the biochemistry department in Glasgow University, UK, says this is the first credible evidence that the GM decaffeination concept actually works. "They've got the caffeine level down by about 70%.“

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/ 3002112.stm - Cached

BBC NEWS | UK | Wales | Fair trade coffee campaign for city

  „"We are in discussion with Oxfam on the whole issue. "Reports and submissions will have to be made before any firm decision can be taken." Oxfam claims there is a crisis in the world coffee industry and the launch in Swansea is part of the charity's 'Coffee Rescue Plan'. Lower prices Craig Owen, from Oxfam Cymru, said: "Massive overproduction has pushed prices down to an all-time low with 25 million coffee producers facing ruin. "Four large coffee companies buy nearly half the world's crop and make huge profits but we calculate only around 5% of the retail price reaches the farmer.“

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/ 2266190.stm - Cached

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