Monday, October 30, 2006
Rwanda Coffee Authority awards best growers
The Rwanda Coffee Authority (Ocir- Café), gave a cow each to the four best coffee growers in Bukunzi, Bugarama, Gashonga and Cyangugu Sectors in Rusizi District as a reward for their contribution to the development of the coffee sector in the country.
Phenias Musemakweli, a representative of Ocir-Café, said that rewarding the best coffee growers, is in appreciation of their tremendous contribution to the success of the coffee sector which fetches high revenue to the country's economy. "The awards are a token of appreciation on our part for their contribution to the development of the coffee sector and the economy in general. This is also aimed at motivating them to continue improving their coffee growing systems and to encourage their fellow coffee growers to also participate in the coming competition to improve ways of growing coffee," Musemakweli said.
Theogene Nkuranga, the district vice-mayor in charge of economic affairs, urged the coffee growers to invest more in improving the quantity and quality of their produce for more earnings. He appealed to residents in the district to diversify for better income to improve their welfare and reduce poverty.
Phenias Musemakweli, a representative of Ocir-Café, said that rewarding the best coffee growers, is in appreciation of their tremendous contribution to the success of the coffee sector which fetches high revenue to the country's economy. "The awards are a token of appreciation on our part for their contribution to the development of the coffee sector and the economy in general. This is also aimed at motivating them to continue improving their coffee growing systems and to encourage their fellow coffee growers to also participate in the coming competition to improve ways of growing coffee," Musemakweli said.
Theogene Nkuranga, the district vice-mayor in charge of economic affairs, urged the coffee growers to invest more in improving the quantity and quality of their produce for more earnings. He appealed to residents in the district to diversify for better income to improve their welfare and reduce poverty.
# posted by Buck @ 9:52 PM
Friday, October 27, 2006
The real price of coffee
Ethiopian plantation workers are paid a daily rate that is a fraction of the price of one London espresso. Now growers are fighting for fairer trade.
By Stephen Castle
27 October 2006
"Coffee came first from Ethiopia," says Hailu Gebre Hiwot, president of the country's coffee exporters' association, as he sips on a cup of a deep, rich variety, "and so did mankind".
In a warehouse in Addis Ababa, where workers check the quality of tons of smooth, dark coffee beans, Mr Hiwot is musing on the unfairness of trade in a globalised world. While espresso, cappuccino and latte drinkers are bringing huge profits to some of the world's biggest multinationals, the place where coffee originated remains one of the poorest on Earth.
Around the world more than 2 billion cups of the stuff are consumed each day. In Starbucks in south London the cheapest shot of espresso costs £1.35. A coffee worker in Ethiopia earns less than half of that in a day.
Now the country where coffee was first consumed around 1,000 years ago is trying to get a fairer share of the proceeds. Growers are clubbing together to try to squeeze more money out of the export trade. Read the full article.
By Stephen Castle
27 October 2006
"Coffee came first from Ethiopia," says Hailu Gebre Hiwot, president of the country's coffee exporters' association, as he sips on a cup of a deep, rich variety, "and so did mankind".
In a warehouse in Addis Ababa, where workers check the quality of tons of smooth, dark coffee beans, Mr Hiwot is musing on the unfairness of trade in a globalised world. While espresso, cappuccino and latte drinkers are bringing huge profits to some of the world's biggest multinationals, the place where coffee originated remains one of the poorest on Earth.
Around the world more than 2 billion cups of the stuff are consumed each day. In Starbucks in south London the cheapest shot of espresso costs £1.35. A coffee worker in Ethiopia earns less than half of that in a day.
Now the country where coffee was first consumed around 1,000 years ago is trying to get a fairer share of the proceeds. Growers are clubbing together to try to squeeze more money out of the export trade. Read the full article.
# posted by Buck @ 10:38 PM
Ethiopia, Starbucks Embroiled in Dispute
The Ethiopian government, Starbucks Corp. and a coffee industry association are embroiled in a spat over whether the coffee names Yirgacheffe, Sidamo and Harar belong to the African nation, or can be used by anyone without restrictions.
Ethiopia wants Starbucks to sign a voluntary licensing agreement saying the country owns the rights to the coffee names. Seattle-based Starbucks said Wednesday that it wants instead to work with the country to establish a geographic certification for the coffee bean names, much like is done with Washington apples or Kona coffee.
Ron Layton, president of Light Years IP, which is advising the Ethiopian government on the matter, said the African nation doesn't want to charge a flat fee as part of the licensing agreement.
But he said the long-term plan would be to establish the brand and then use that leverage to gradually boost the prices that companies like Starbucks pay for those coffees. Read the full article.
Ethiopia wants Starbucks to sign a voluntary licensing agreement saying the country owns the rights to the coffee names. Seattle-based Starbucks said Wednesday that it wants instead to work with the country to establish a geographic certification for the coffee bean names, much like is done with Washington apples or Kona coffee.
Ron Layton, president of Light Years IP, which is advising the Ethiopian government on the matter, said the African nation doesn't want to charge a flat fee as part of the licensing agreement.
But he said the long-term plan would be to establish the brand and then use that leverage to gradually boost the prices that companies like Starbucks pay for those coffees. Read the full article.
# posted by Buck @ 10:35 PM
