Fair trade in recent years in the coffee industry has developed and started to grow. Fair trade refers to creating an equitable market for both producers and consumers. An advantage to free trade is that poor coffee farmers that produce high quality coffee enter the market and everyone wins. This type of trade is vital to any market because is one of the three most traded goods in the world. In the 90s and early 2000's coffee bean prices have dropped significantly while the retail price has either remained constant or has risen. So coffee growers were ultimately losing profits to the retailers. This has also led to larger coffee corporations buying the smaller plantations coffee and selling it for more because they have more power to negotiate prices with retailers. So, the fair trade agreements have helped pass down profits to the small coffee growers.
The best way to grow coffee beans is in the shade. This strategy helps slow down the maturity process allowing the coffee bean to produce more sugar and a better flavor. But some coffee growers are forced to grow their plants in the sun because they need a quicker turn around so that they can avoid impoverishment. This consequently leads to deforestation and erosion. So the benefits of fair trade coffee are that it helps the environment and the small farmer.
The most famous coffee in costa rica is found in the regions of Tarrazu, Tres Rios, and Alajuela. The best type of coffee is found at high elevations around 3,900 feet. There are two types of coffee grown in Costa Rica Organic and nonorganic. Organic requires the bean to be pesticide free and this demands a higher price when going to sell the beans.
No comments:
Post a Comment