Month: November 2016

Uganda: A Mobile App for Coffee Farmers

Uganda: A Mobile App for Coffee Farmers

Ugandan Coffee Farmers Alliance, UCFA, has been using a smartphone app to monitor and manage coffee delivery. The app created in 2013 by software manufacturer SAP was part of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH develoPPP.de program, which they implemented on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The software is streamlined to

Pros and Cons of the Most Common Coffee Machines at Workplace

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It is indisputable that coffee machine represents an essential equipment of every work environment. Coffee break provides a welcome pause during meetings and in general plays a crucial role in social life of a workplace. Coffee keeps people alert and makes them more productive. That is another reason why every employer should consider having a machine that serves coffee beverages.

Research by ICO Shows Coffee Farmers Operating at a Loss

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A study by the International Coffee Organisation shows that coffee farmers in a selected number of countries are operating at a loss. This to them means growing coffee is becoming more and more non-profitable for farmers.

According to the study, March 2015 saw the ICO composite price consistently going down below a 10-year average of $137.24 / lb. This has raised concerns about the economic situation of coffee production and the livelihood of growers in the countries involved.[Sign in to continue]

Heavy Rains to Hit Vietnam’s Biggest Coffee Growing Region

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Forecasts show heavy rains in Vietnam will continue to hit it’s biggest growing region in the days ahead, reports Reuters. The heavy rains will further disrupt the 2019/2017 crop harvest, said a report by the government. Vietnam is the world’s highest producer of robusta. Worries about supply has increased as this years harvests have been hampered by rains and the

Heavy Rains, Millenials & US Election Influencing Coffee Prices

Election Influencing Coffee Prices

Raw coffee at it’s highest in Vietnam
The Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development’s Agro, Forestry & Fishery Processing & Salt Industry has revealed raw coffee prices in the Central Highland provinces of Vietnam has gone up to it’s highest level in 3 years, reports Talk Vietnam. FOB price for Robusta coffee at the Sai Gon Port saw a rise by $88 per to $2,043. Vietnam exported 121,000 tonnes of coffee in the first 10 months of this year. This brought about earnings of up to $246 million with Germany and the US being the two largest export markets holding 15.2% and 13.2% respectively in the first nine months.[Sign in to continue]

Korea: The Coffee Republic

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Everyone, I suppose, knows the song “Gangnam style” the K-pop single by the South Korean rapper Psy that on December 2012 became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views. Well, this song satirized “a classy girl who know how to enjoy the freedom of a cup of coffee”. In these words, all what is going on in South Korea: Coffee has become a powerful indicator of class status symbol. Moreover, coffee is the number one beverage in the country (53% of the total drink market) and has even surpassed the demand for “kimchi”, South Korea’s national dish (according to a study by the International Business Times).

On average, the study showed, South Koreans drink coffee 12.2 times per week; they eat “kimchi”, a mix of fermented vegetables that has been a part of the Korean diet since the 1500s, 11.9 times per week and white rice only 6.9 times per week. To drink a fresh bean coffee is not always cheap. In Seoul, a “cup of Joe (COJ)” is more expensive than in the U.S. (about $3.80 against $2.25 on average).[Sign in to continue]