coffee round

Thailand

The idea of a Coffee Club of ASEAN was conceived last June 17, 2009 on the sidelines of an ASEAN meeting in Chiang Rai, Thailand comprising government and the private sector. The concept was proposed by members of the private sector in attendance with the support of government representatives. The club is comprised mainly of private sector members with the public sector encouraged to take an observatory role, according to Moenardji Soedargo of Indonesian company PT Aneka Coffee Industry and as head of the Coffee Industry Development Compartment of AICE (Association of Indonesian Coffee Exporters and Industries) who was elected as president of the nascent body.

"After negotiations with existing coffee associations from Thailand, and Vietnam, it was decided to establish a club as opposed to an association as ‘association’ connotes a very formal body," Soedargo told Tea & Coffee Asia. "There are existing clubs representing regional rubber and cocoa industries," he said.

Eligible members would include companies affiliated with various associations of member countries, to be expanded to include members from Singapore Philippines and Malaysia.

Hawaii

The winner of the 2009 Kona Coffee Classic Cupping Competition held this year at Keauhou Beach Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii is Wolf Farms, a four acre plantation situated at an altitude of 1,400ft in Honaunau.

The farm is owned and operated by Mark and Denise Wolf. Wolf Farms beat out 60 competitors in this year’s contest. Hawaiian King Coffee in Holualoa, owned by Christopher Kim, garnered second place, Healani Farms took third.

"The balance and pleasing aftertaste made this Kona coffee the obvious winner," according to judge John King. "The overwhelming final fragrance was the tipping factor."

Venezuela

The government of maverick president Hugo Chavez has announced the nationalization of two domestic coffee companies, Fama de America and Cafea, according to the state-run Bolivarian News Agency. A presidential decree ordered the government takeover of the two companies which between them control around 80% of the country’s domestic coffee market. The government is also looking to buy a controling stake in a third company, Cafe Madrid.

The government claims that the companies have acted as a monopoly, avoiding price controls by smuggling coffee into neighboring Colombia.

The government had previously taken control of both companies temporarily in August during its ongoing investigation into coffee smuggling charges. Both companies deny any involvement in illegal activities.

Colombia

Colombia’s coffee crop is expected to drop by 30% in 2009 and output is not expected to recover until at least 2011, according to Mauricio Bernal of the Association of Colombian coffee national

Estimates place this year’s crop at between 8 to 9 million bags, down from 11.5 million bags in 2008.

"Colombia does not have a good coffee harvest" Bernal is quoted as saying.

Heavy rains in Brazil and Colombia have hit production and supplies have been compromised, leading to a 24% increase in prices paid.