Africans told to exploit soaring coffee prices
Feb 18, 2008
AFRICAN farmers can exploit the soaring prices of coffee on the international market if they produce high-quality beans.
By Peter Kaujju
AFRICAN farmers can exploit the soaring prices of coffee on the international market if they produce high-quality beans.
“We need to tackle the issues of productivity particularly for the small-scale growers. We need to invest not only in facilities and equipment but also in skills across the coffee value chain,†Erastus Mwencha, the secretary general of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), said.
“Overall, we need to enhance the competitiveness of the region’s coffee industry and address individually as countries, and collectively as a region, the policy issues that may be negatively impacting on competitiveness,†Mwencha said at the fifth African Fine Coffee Conference in Kampala recently.
He said total coffee exports from the COMESA region to the rest of the world jumped to $807m during 2007 from $271m in 2001.
Mwencha said intra-COMESA trade in coffee was worth $52.18m in 2006, an increase of 23.6% from $42.19m 2005.
With a population of 400 million, he said the COMESA region could have a vibrant coffee market.
Mwencha said increased domestic consumption of coffee would not only result into additional revenue to coffee farmers but also help cushion against income losses that arise from volatilities on the international market.
Joseph Taguma, the chairman of Eastern Africa Fine Coffee Association, the organisers of the conference, said although Africa produces the world’s finest coffees, little is consumed by Africans.
The conference brought together delegates from Africa, the US, Europe and Japan with an objective of promoting business linkages.
AFRICAN farmers can exploit the soaring prices of coffee on the international market if they produce high-quality beans.
“We need to tackle the issues of productivity particularly for the small-scale growers. We need to invest not only in facilities and equipment but also in skills across the coffee value chain,†Erastus Mwencha, the secretary general of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), said.
“Overall, we need to enhance the competitiveness of the region’s coffee industry and address individually as countries, and collectively as a region, the policy issues that may be negatively impacting on competitiveness,†Mwencha said at the fifth African Fine Coffee Conference in Kampala recently.
He said total coffee exports from the COMESA region to the rest of the world jumped to $807m during 2007 from $271m in 2001.
Mwencha said intra-COMESA trade in coffee was worth $52.18m in 2006, an increase of 23.6% from $42.19m 2005.
With a population of 400 million, he said the COMESA region could have a vibrant coffee market.
Mwencha said increased domestic consumption of coffee would not only result into additional revenue to coffee farmers but also help cushion against income losses that arise from volatilities on the international market.
Joseph Taguma, the chairman of Eastern Africa Fine Coffee Association, the organisers of the conference, said although Africa produces the world’s finest coffees, little is consumed by Africans.
The conference brought together delegates from Africa, the US, Europe and Japan with an objective of promoting business linkages.