Roberto Vélez Vallejo, CEO of Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC), called for an international coffee base price of US$2 per pound at a Fairtrade conference on 2 July. Vélez says this is a necessary baseline to guarantee producers can have a decent income. “Is it fair to trade when someone buys their product below the cost of production?” Vélez asked conference attendees. Read more:
• World Coffee Producers Forum declares need for action on coffee price
• Brazil and Colombia form alliance to combat price crisis
• The FNC on coffee’s desperate times
• FNC suggests Colombian coffee could leave New York Stock Exchange He added that social and environmental sustainability is dependent on economic security. “Poverty is the greatest predator of the environment and the coffee social fabric,” Velez said. “In 1980, coffee was US3 per pound. Two weeks ago, it was 88 US cents. Coffee growers get less than 0.4 per cent of the price. Who can live on that? The coffee industry is healthy and demand is growing, yet coffee growers are selling coffee under the cost of production. It should not be allowed.” The Fairtrade conference Changing Trade, Changing Lives explored trends in sustainability, supply chains and human rights, and assessed progress towards achieving decent incomes for the 1.6 million Fairtrade farmers and workers around the world. Velez will likely continue this conversation at the World Coffee Producers Forum from 10 to 11 July in Brazil. For more information, visit www.worldcoffeeproducersforum.com.br Global Coffee Report has launched a LinkedIn Showcase page. Follow HERE for up-to-date news and analysis of the global coffee industry.
Surging coffee prices raise concerns for producers, says Fairtrade
As coffee prices have surged to record highs in recent weeks, some have suggested the price hikes might benefit coffee...
