The effect of Organic Certification on the Price and quality of Coffee beans why are organic coffee beans so expensive?

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One of the most emphasized concepts in boutique coffee is one thing that ordinary commercial-grade coffee does not have, that is, traceability.

But with the rise of moral consumerism, more and more customers, including bakers and consumers, not only require traceability, but also begin to pay more attention to the organic certification of coffee beans.

What exactly is organic coffee? Does organic coffee taste better? Here we will give you a detailed answer.

What does "organic coffee" stand for?

The simplest answer is that organic coffee is produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or pesticides. The fertilizer used in Cannons must be 100% organic fertilizer, such as chicken manure, peeled coffee pulp, fermented compost, etc. If the fertilizer contains synthetic nitrogen, phosphate, or potassium salt, the grown coffee will not be considered organic and will not be certified as organic.

Time is another factor to consider. Farms must undergo all-natural organic farming (100% organic fertilizers and pesticides) for at least three consecutive years to officially enter true organic agriculture in order to ensure that crops are not exposed to any residual chemicals. This also means that farms need a sustainable crop rotation program to prevent soil erosion, depletion of nutrients, and natural elimination of pests.

Finally, coffee should not be exposed to any chemicals in the process of handling and packaging.

What is the difference between organic certification and fair trade certification?

That's a good question. The central idea of fair trade is to reduce poverty through the equalization of international trade, which has nothing to do with organic in theory. But it is said that more than 80% of Fairtrade coffee is organically grown.

The reason is that most Fairtrade coffee is grown on independent small farms. These farmers do not have enough money to afford expensive commercial pesticides, so when they have no choice, they use natural fertilizers and pesticides locally, which essentially meets the conditions of organic agriculture.

According to the Ethiopian boutique coffee association, although locally produced coffee is rarely officially certified organically, 95% of coffee is actually organic. We think 95% may be a bit overrated, but there is no denying that a lot of coffee without organic certification is actually grown organically.

It is important to note that a coffee certified as organic does not mean that the working environment of the workers who produce the coffee is guaranteed, or that farmers can automatically get a minimum price guarantee that they can get rich suddenly.

What's so special about growing organic coffee beans?

Organic coffee needs to be grown in the shade of trees. If there is no thick leaf shade, the sun can easily burn the soil and dry up the nutrients, which will require the use of large amounts of non-organic fertilizers to restore nutrients. In addition, when farmers retain native trees, they not only provide shade, but also have a positive effect on biodiversity.

The organic planting process is very different from the traditional commercial coffee planting. Commercial coffee relies on sun exposure, which helps coffee mature quickly, so it often has to cut down a lot of trees, free up large tracts of land to grow coffee in direct sunlight, and rely on synthetic fertilizers to keep the soil nutritious. On the contrary, organic coffee cultivation is a long and long process.

Where do organic coffee beans come from?

According to the Costa Rican Center for Tropical Agricultural Research and higher Education, about 75% of the world's organic coffee comes from Latin America. As of 2010, Peru was the leading exporter of organic coffee, exporting 423000 bags (more than 25000 metric tons) of organic beans in 2010 alone. Other exporters include Honduras, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador and Guatemala. Some Asian and African countries, such as Indonesia and Ethiopia, also produce organic coffee.

What is the impact of organic certification on the price, quality, and flavor of coffee?

Compared with the price of non-organic coffee producers, coffee producers who have successfully won the recognition of organic certification will receive a premium of about 500 pounds per tonne. The £500 premium is clearly an indispensable subsidy for organic producers because of the time-consuming and other constraints of the organic farming process, which have greatly increased production costs. At the same time, the incentive for this economy is to encourage more producers to adopt organic planting.

As for the quality of coffee, it always depends on many different factors, including coffee variety, soil quality, altitude, rainfall, harvesting and processing techniques, freshness, water quality, and the overall cleanliness of processing equipment.

In the process of coffee production, with or without the help of chemicals, it has little effect on the final flavor and characteristics of coffee beans, but it is very important for the sustainability of coffee. We at DRW have been striving to support research and initiatives on sustainability as much as possible. After all, organic farming is the only way for the long-term sustainability of crops. Recently, we are honored to be shortlisted for the Guardian's Sustainable Business Award. "

We choose to cooperate with producers who are very careful about the cultivation and production of beans, and even find fault with them.

When it comes to coffee, we absolutely agree with the Prince of Wales, his Royal Highness Prince Charles in a speech from the British soil Association: "Organic agriculture can provide the highest quality and most delicious food without the use of man-made chemicals or genetically modified technologies, and respect animal welfare and the environment, while helping to preserve the landscape and rural communities."

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