Nestle, Philippines May Enter Coffee Bean Farming Partnership

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines’ Department of Agriculture (DA) and Nestle may enter into a coffee bean farming partnership, a move allowing the agency to supply the Swiss food giant with beans for its products.

This was announced by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in its website, citing discussions between Philippine diplomatic officials and the company’s executives held in its Switzerland headquarters.

Although no additional details regarding the partnership were provided, the meeting nevertheless touched upon Nestle’s expansion plans in the Philippines.

The discussion focused on “the new factory being built in Pulilan, Bulacan, a business process outsourcing (BPO) which has become the global hub for Nestle situated in Meycauayan, Bulacan and its future plans," the DFA said on its website.

"Nestlé has been in the Philippines for more than 100 years and has been a steady partner of the Philippines in various aspects of development," the DFA said.

Among those who attended the meeting include the Philippines’ Ambassador to Switzerland Maria Theresa Lazaro, First Secretary and Consul Margarita Ibayan, and Nestlé Executive Vice President Frits Van Dijk.

The meeting was also attended by Nestlé vice president Arshad Chaudhry, who is responsible for the Philippines and other parts of Asia.

Japan still not full of Ethiopian beans

By Yohannes Anberbir

One of Ethiopia's largest export market for coffee is still shutting out its produce.
Following the Japanese Government's rejection of dozens of containers of coffee from Ethiopia in May 2008 due to chemical contamination, and the consequent postponement of imports, Ethiopia established a quarantine laboratory.

The closure of the Japanese market, coupled with the current global economic crisis, caused a worrying drop in demand for Ethiopia's largest export.

Out of the 525.2 million dollars the country earned last year from coffee sales, 20 per cent was from Japan market. However, the country only earned 70.2 million birr from coffee during the first six months of the current fiscal year. This downturn in revenue prompted the government of Ethiopia to take measures to move back into the Japanese market.

The first step the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoARD) took towards this aim was making sure the coffee beans are free from any chemical residues. Such a procedure required sophisticated laboratory equipment and expert technicians.

According to the top official within the ministry, finding a trained expert in the specific field was difficult, although at least the relevant equipment was owned by the Ethiopian Quality and Standard Authority (QSA). Finally, training assistance was requested from the Japanese government, who acceded.

The experts from Japan provided the training in November 2008. It was given to a lecturer from Jimma University, who had previously been chosen to run the laboratory, and his team.
"Yes, we have assisted the government's effort and will continue as long as it is needed," Kinichi Komano, Ambassador of Japan to Ethiopia told Capital.

Currently, the trained team is investigating samples of coffee beans from those ready for export. Despite Capital's efforts, no information has yet been made available on the results of the inspection.

Although the laboratory has been operational for six weeks, the Japanese market is still closed to coffee from Ethiopia.

"We didn't ban Ethiopian coffee; the Japanese are very much attached to the flavour of Ethiopian coffee, however, our government is very sensitive to safety issues. Currently we are observing the progress and within the near future the market will be opened again," said Mr Komano.

Experts from Japan have visited Ethiopia to verify how and where the contamination occurred. They inspected soil sample from various coffee growing places, the storage system and the packaging. They identified old agro-chemicals on the packaging sacks.

According to the ambassador, experts from Japan will come to evaluate the ongoing inspection process and its outcomes.

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Organic Coffee Growers Keeping It In The Family

It was a story that touched Michael Walter’s heart.

The owner of Sticklings Bakery had heard a documentary about a family who survived the Nicaraguan civil war.

The family had had their three-generation coffee farm confiscated by the Sandinista socialist party and feared violence because of ties to the previous government.

As political refugees, the family fled to Canada and started anew in London, Ont.

After about a decade in this country, the parents felt compelled to return to their homeland and renew the family farm after the war ended.

The four daughters, however, opted to stay in Canada.

Two daughters still carry on their family legacy, by importing the organic coffee beans grown by their father and roasting them through their company Las Chicas Del Café (The Coffee Chicks.)

“It’s a unique family story,” said Walter, who had heard it told on CBC Radio in March 2008. “It really touched my heart.”

He wasn’t the only one. Walter said at least 10 customers came into the Charlotte Street bakery asking for Las Chicas coffee after hearing the documentary.

In May, Sticklings started offering the coffee beans, in one-pound bags, and now the store gets weekly shipments as Las Chicas has become its top seller, Walter said.

Sticklings sells about $250 worth of the coffee every week, on average, he said...read more