Organic coffee is grown as part of an intensive,
holistic agricultural production management system that includes the composting
of organic materials, mulching, shade regulation and biological pest control.
Such a system is based on the principle that a value corresponding to that
harvested should be returned to the soil. It excludes the use of agro-chemicals.
For the product to be marketed as organic, it must be certified as such by a
third party. Variants on this basic theme, such as shade grown, are discussed in
03.05.01.
Western
countries have developed extensive legislation for organic products. The
conditions that must be met before coffee may be marketed as organic are both
comprehensive and well defined. No coffee may be brought to the marketplace and
labelled organic unless it is proved to conform to the regulations. In other
words, coffee can be marketed as organic only when it is certified as such by a
recognized organization or certifier, based on regular inspection of all stages
of production, processing, transporting and roasting of the coffee.
The first organic coffee
cultivation was recorded at the Finca Irlanda in Chiapas, Mexico (1967), and the
first organic coffee to be imported into Europe from a small farmers'
cooperative came from the UCIRI cooperative in Oaxaca, Mexico (1985). The
cooperative converted and marketed its coffee with the help of a joint venture
formed by a Netherlands commercial roaster, Simon Lévelt/Haarlem, and GEPA
(Gesellschaft für Partnerschaft mit der Dritten Welt), a German NGO
(non-governmental organization) specializing in alternative trade.
Why do consumers choose organic coffee?
- Health
considerations. Many consumers are increasingly concerned with the
content of their daily intake of food and beverages: organic foods are perceived
as healthier. This motive is less important for coffee than it is for some other
crops in that roasted coffee hardly ever contains harmful residues. But there is
also a growing body of consumers whose health worries extend to the workers who
have to work with the chemicals that are used in the traditional production
system.
- Demand for
specialty coffee. This is growing and organic coffees are perceived as
belonging to this category. Although the quality of organic coffee is not
necessarily better than that of conventional coffees, the market for organic
coffee is increasingly demanding higher quality, which is why organic coffees
are often positioned in the specialty segment. The first organic coffees to
appear on the market in the 1980s were good quality arabicas from Mexico, but
nowadays lower grades of organic arabica as well as organic robusta are also
available. Some quality estates or exporters have their coffees certified as
organic to underline their quality, hoping it will be perceived as truly
special.
- Environmental
concerns. Other consumers are concerned about the negative impact of
agro-chemicals on the environment. They are not necessarily concerned only about
health issues but primarily want to be sure that the products they buy are
produced in an environmentally friendly way in order to prevent pollution,
erosion and soil degradation.
Why produce organic
coffee?
In
principle producers are motivated by the same concerns as consumers, but in
addition they want to secure their social and cultural future by realizing the
premium that certified organic coffee obtains. This benefit depends on the
demand for organic coffee, which in turn determines the amount of the premium
that can be obtained, and the extra costs involved in organic production. See
03.02.04 for more on this.