FNC CEO advocates for higher prices at 4th World Coffee Conference

^{For sustainability of the global coffee industry}

• “How can we expect to have a future generation of coffee growers if the current one can hardly make a living?  It’s impossible. And without coffee growers and coffee, there will be no global industry,” Roberto Vélez, the FNC CEO, said.
• Key buyers, such as the Japanese roaster company Key Coffee, have recognized that low international coffee prices are deleterious for the industry because they impact quality and undermine long-term sustainability.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 9, 2016 (FNC Press Office) – At the 4th World Coffee Conference in Ethiopia, Roberto Vélez, CEO of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC), advocated for increasing and stabilizing coffee growers’ income to ensure their sustainability and that of the global industry as a whole. 

“How can we expect to have a future generation of coffee growers if the current one can hardly make a living?  It’s impossible. And without coffee growers and coffee, there will be no global industry. The sustainability table has three legs. All of them have to be of equal length if we want the table to be stable.”

Vélez noted that Colombia is now implementing mechanisms that aim to raise productivity and profitability, which in turn will contribute to stabilizing coffee growers’ income.

About the global industry, Vélez stressed: “As producers, we have nothing against a profitable global industry characterized by positive margins and profits. However, the whole chain has to be profitable, starting with coffee growers. Coffee has to be an attractive business for everyone.”

Like in the Sintercafé forum in Costa Rica, the FNC CEO’s proposal was well received. During the rest of the week, Vélez will meet with five African coffee grower organizations to analyze mechanisms that could potentially lead to economic sustainability of coffee growers. 

Key buyers, such as the Japanese roaster company Key Coffee, have recognized that low international coffee prices are deleterious for the industry as a whole because they impact quality and undermine long-term sustainability.