Some of the problems facing our world aren’t that complicated. With a little effort on everyone’s part, some things can be turned around. When you get up in the morning, consider that cup of coffee you reach for…

The Paradox Facing the Coffee Farmer Submitted by Bethany North

You may have noticed how increasingly expensive coffee is in the United States, whether it is a $4 cappuccino from Starbucks or a $12 pound bag of coffee from the grocery store. That being the case, it’s almost shocking to discover that the coffee farmer is being treated even more poorly, and some are having such a difficult time making ends meet that they are considering declaring bankruptcy.

Coffee farming is done mainly in third world countries along the equator. Many of these countries are already facing poverty, and the price and value of coffee beans has dropped significantly in the past several years. Coffee is actually the second most traded commodity in the world next to oil, and most recently, Vietnam as a coffee exporter has been pumping the market full of low quality Robusta coffee beans at a very cheap price. Most coffee lovers prefer the higher quality and gourmet Arabica coffee beans, yet they are often marked up as more expensive when sold in the United States. Since Vietnam has produced mass quantities of the lower quality Robusta coffee beans, it has significantly driven down coffee prices all over the world.

This news can be devastating for the average coffee farmer.

Of course, there is the concept of fair trade coffee, which guarantees a set wage for the coffee farmer. However, many people argue that fair trade coffee hurts the overall economic development of coffee farming communities since it omits the rule of supply and demand. The overall market price is very low for coffee right now, yet the fair trade guarantee of a set wage encourages even more people to become coffee farmers in third world countries. This guides people away from pursuing higher paying jobs to instead become coffee farmers, which results in more deforestation and more dependency upon the coffee cash crop as a nation.

Although fair trade coffee provides an excellent concept, it is still important for there to be fairness between the coffee giants in the United States and the poor coffee farmers in third world countries. There are many developing organizations out there hoping to provide this type of equality by encouraging higher standards in coffee farming to improve the value of coffee on the market. Furthermore, US coffee drinkers can do their part by purchasing from independent and local roasters, who are more prone to buy from independent coffee farmers instead of large coffee estates.

For a great selection of the Bunn home coffee maker, check out Bethany North’s website, The Coffee Bump.

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