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Certified organic coffee may not always be the best deal for farmers

Tuesday, April 26, 2011


Buyers of certified organic and fair-trade coffee may rest easy knowing their purchase is better for the environment, but whether or not it’s better for the coffee producers has become a matter of debate.

A study by Germany’s University of Hohenheim into Nicaraguan coffee production has found that over a 10-year period, “organic and organic/fair-trade farmers have become poorer relative to conventional producers.”

The study adds that “profitability and efficiency need to be increased because prices for certified coffee cannot compensate for low productivity, land or labour constraints.”

Original source: Vancouver Sun