Nicaraguan coffee growers are opposing payment of $3 per quintal of coffee for the creation of the Fund for Transformation and Development of Coffee.
Laprensa.com.ni reports that "through the National Transformation and Development of Coffee Program, the government will create by law an obligation for coffee growers to give $3 per quintal exported during the next two coffee cycles.
The six-year investment will allow the improvement and renovation of 182,000 acres of coffee grown in Nicaragua, aiming to achieve yields of 20 quintals per hectare.
The National Programme for the Transformation and Development of Coffee Plantations (PNTDC) aims to raise the industry average from 11.1 to 20 quintals per acre, an improvement which would start from the 2018-19 harvest, allowing an export production averaging 3.2 million quintals per harvest.
The variety of coffee which is considered the best quality, is starting to have disadvantages compared to the robusta variety, both due to changes in consumer trends, as well as price.
This is the warning given by experts who gathered in Sao Paulo, Brazil. According to the manager of the research firm Olam Europe, Neil Rossner, the Central American countries affected by the rust blight, "failed to meet the challenge presented by Brazil and Vietnam", the world's largest producers of grain. "The Arabica segment is in crisis and the gourmet coffee strategy is threatened," he added.
The seal which refers to Colombian beans became the first denomination of foreign origin to be accepted in Switzerland.
The certification process lasted five years, but from now on the Confederation will protect the coffee from this country as a unique product in the world.
"The application for Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) was filed on January 31 last, after five years of negotiations", reported Prensalibre.com.
Central America's losses in the 2012-2013 harvest have been estimated at 20%, with a cost of about $500 million.
From a statement by the Central American Agricultural Council (CAC):
The Ministers of Agriculture in Central America and the Dominican Republic have agreed to implement, as a priority, a program of regional rust attention in order to concentrate the efforts of governments, and international and regional organizations to ensure a comprehensive approach to the problem that has affected more than 50% of the coffee sector in the region.
In South Korea per capita consumption of coffee is five times greater than that of other countries in the Asia – Pacific region.
According to a recent USDA report from the United States, per capita coffee consumption in South Korea is 5 times greater than that of other countries in the Asia – Pacific region. In 2012 this market in South Korea was quantified in $3 billion.
Indications are that the cause of the severity of the outbreak is the abandonment of the traditional technique of growing coffee in the shade of various trees, in favor of cultivating them in full sun.
Elmundo.com.sv reports that "The current outbreak of coffee rust is the worst I have seen in Central America and Mexico since the fungal disease arrived in the region over 40 years ago, said the ecologist John Vandermeer, University of Michigan (UM). "
Losses caused by the rust disease in Honduras amount to 1.8 million bags, 650,000 quintals in Guatemala, 600,000 in Nicaragua, 400,000 in El Salvador, 200,000 in Costa Rica and 60,000 in Panama.
Those are the estimates of the Central American Organization of Coffee Exporters (ORCECA), who was unwilling to speculate on how much income the region would not receive because of declining exports.
From October to December 2012, exports from the group of nine Latin American coffee producing countries, with the exception of Brazil, grew by 15.75%.
The National Coffee Association of Guatemala (Anacafe) said in a statement that their exports of quality coffee from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Peru, joined the 6,135,414 60 kilo bags, in the quarter from October to December 2012.
$300 million will be required for pest control alone, and more than $1 billion to renovate the plantations that have been affected.
The figures which have been gathered unofficially indicated that in excess of 1.7 million quintals of coffee have been destroyed by the fungus known as rust in Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador.
The president of the Coffee Exporters Association of Honduras (Adecafeh), Omar Acosta says that the loss in Honduras could reach two million quintals, "The Ihcafé says that no damage has been done, butwe do not understand why they are lying. They should have a plan for the country because it is a serious problem, we all know that there is a strong impact from rust and we believe there is a damage of between 25% and 30% of the crop, which amounts to two million quintals. "
Although it is clear that Central American coffee farmers are suffering from a serious crisis because of the spread of the rust blight, an objective assessment is needed to address the problem responsibly and effectively.
EDITORIAL:
Newspaper reports, which have gathered statements in isolation from coffee producers and unions, are at odds with other reports which have announced increases in the current crop results compared to previous years.
Very good harvests in Vietnam and Brazil, and a drop in European demand are the factors affecting prices, which continue to decline.
Added to a persistent decline in the international prices, is the extensive affect on Central American harvests of the "Roya" blight, that is affecting an estimated 80% of plantations. The effects of the pest will be felt not only in the present harvest, but in the next.
The total value of exports for November was $2.524 billion, 18.71% higher than in the same period of 2011.
According to the Center for Export Procedures (Cetrex), if the rate of growth is maintained, foreign sales at the end of this year could exceed $2.7 billion.
Twenty products accounted for 87.9% of the $2.524 billion in exports, which included coffee, sugar cane, beef, shrimp farming, raw gold and peanuts.
Affected by the rains and a renovation program that is beginning to bear fruit, the 2012 harvest will only be 8 million bags, far from the target of 8.5 million.
Colombia reduces 2012 coffee production target and sees difficulty in achieving 2013’s
Colombia has reduced its coffee production target to 8 million 60kg bags as a result of adverse weather conditions and the crop replacement program, according to the National Federation of Coffee Growers.
For each load of 125 kilos of coffee, coffee farmers will receive $33 as compensation for the fall in international coffee prices and the devaluation of the Colombian peso.
A statement from the Ministry of Finance of Colombia reads:
Government triples coffee subsidies: 80 billion pesos ($ 44 million) for 600,000 families.
So announced the finance minister, Mauricio Cardenas, on Saturday at a press conference.