Monday, August 09, 2004


regional coffee culture, part xxvi

i think! i'm losing count. . .

"coffee drinkers in glasgow are leading a nationwide trend for european-style cafe culture, visiting coffee bars 30% more often than the u.k. average."

this article is just another interesting data point -- west or east, i continue to be amazed at the rapid spread of specialty coffee culture the world round!

but let's talk about stuff going on in the coffee-producing countries, or in coffee-talk "at origin." this little article caused me unease:

"coffee growers in nyeri district who had earlier defied a government order to merge their small cooperative societies have now agreed to comply.

when the order was given last year, the ministry of cooperative development argued that small societies were making losses and were not economically viable.

it was therefore necessary to merge them to form bigger organisations to enjoy the economy of scale, the ministry reasoned."

why does this tidbit worry me? shouldn't i applaud more efficiency at origin considering the scale of the world-price depression known as the coffee crisis?

here's my thinking: oftentimes the farmers who are devoted to growing quality beans suffer because their good coffee is mixed at the co-op mill with lesser coffee. thus the economic advantage they should gain is lost.

and my concern here is that these farmers at the smaller co-ops will suffer this fate. now of course, i don't know these particular groups in kenya; maybe they don't produce quality coffee, altho' in general kenya aa is some of the most prized coffee in the world, and the finest kenya is said to come from nyeri.

but we coffee-lovers should encourage farmers who grow better coffee to process it in conditions where it will be correctly treated, remain separate, and result in specialty beans. this only benefits the farmers, who can sell quality at a higher price, and us consumers, who can be assured of quality.

i think a policy like this would benefit specialty roasters too, who long to be able to tie quality to a definite point at origin -- be that co-op, mill, or even washing station! i hope those roasters who visit here will respond. . .

posted by fortune | 8:45 AM | top | link to this | email this: | | | 0 comments