Organic Coffee Can Be Good For Everyone
t is a joy to have a fresh cup of coffee. Made from delicately roasted beans and freshly ground. The benefits of an organic bean are pretty self evident and desirable. An if that organic coffee bean can pay a farmer a decent wage then it is even better. There has been a groundswell in people wanting a good tasting, organically grown bean, that is purchased in an ethical manner and the fair trade movement is gaining popular acceptance.
Fair Trade in some ways goes back to the Dutch protest book of the 1800's Max Havelaar, commenting on the trading practices in the Dutch East Indies. Today the focus is on making sure the farmer is being paid a good price for his beans and that he actually gets that price rather than it ending up with some middlemen along the way.
Some buyers have even gone so far as to pay part of their purchase in advance instead of waiting for delivery before paying. This is an attempt to keep farmers from needing to get loans between the coffee harvest through till time of payment.
Many of the coffee growing nations are natural producers of organic coffee. Countries like Vanuatu and Ethiopia has no high tech chemical or farming technologies and the farms tend to be smaller entities. These countries are small players who need to focus on niche markets rather than taking on the volume production of Brazil or Columbia.
Co-operatives are a common occurrence to allow an economic mass to be gathered. Sense of community is enhanced and it allows money to be directed back to the community for medical or educational purposes.
The emergence of organic coffees as a viable alternative has in some cases pushed some farmers away from drug crops as they can now make a living from traditional crops.
Good coffee and ethical trading can work together. - 17274
Fair Trade in some ways goes back to the Dutch protest book of the 1800's Max Havelaar, commenting on the trading practices in the Dutch East Indies. Today the focus is on making sure the farmer is being paid a good price for his beans and that he actually gets that price rather than it ending up with some middlemen along the way.
Some buyers have even gone so far as to pay part of their purchase in advance instead of waiting for delivery before paying. This is an attempt to keep farmers from needing to get loans between the coffee harvest through till time of payment.
Many of the coffee growing nations are natural producers of organic coffee. Countries like Vanuatu and Ethiopia has no high tech chemical or farming technologies and the farms tend to be smaller entities. These countries are small players who need to focus on niche markets rather than taking on the volume production of Brazil or Columbia.
Co-operatives are a common occurrence to allow an economic mass to be gathered. Sense of community is enhanced and it allows money to be directed back to the community for medical or educational purposes.
The emergence of organic coffees as a viable alternative has in some cases pushed some farmers away from drug crops as they can now make a living from traditional crops.
Good coffee and ethical trading can work together. - 17274
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To read more about gourmet coffee visit the fair trade organic coffee information site.
posted by X - Men at
4:54 AM
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