Difference between coffee producer and farmer

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Farmer, producer are terms used to describe farm-level supply chain actors, used to identify the people involved in the production, harvesting and processing of coffee. These two terms are both used to refer to people who work on farms. So what’s the difference between coffee producers and farmers? Let’s find out with 43 Factory Coffee Roaster!

Difference between coffee producer and farmer

Most of the books, articles, scholarly documents on coffee production today often do not clearly state the difference between coffee producers and coffee farmers. These two terms are used to describe generally any person involved in the production of coffee from the time the seedlings are planted until the coffee is sold to traders or transferred to a cooperative. However, some experts from major coffee organizations around the world such as Alejandro Cadena of Caravela Coffee, Kenean Dukamo from Daye Bensa Coffee and Ernest Igual from Saint Dreux Coffee Roasters have pointed out some differences in knowing the two terms. This. As follows:

Why distinguish the terms “producer” and “farmer”?

The importance of accurate data and statistics

To monitor and evaluate the global coffee industry, many international academic, commercial and development organizations have collected data and statistics on coffee farmers and producers. However, in the official reports, there is little difference between the definitions of producer and farmer leading to bias and inaccuracy in the data, making it difficult to collect, analyze and interpret the data. Information on the coffee industry.

In addition, the lack of clear distinction between producers and farmers (especially smallholders) can lead to misunderstanding of their situation. For example, an organization may claim that a certain percentage of coffee farmers do not earn a living income and need support. But it’s not clear who the data is pointing to (those who grow only coffee or those who grow coffee with other agricultural activities). This can affect how organizations approach and support different groups.

Therefore, there is a need for a clear and unified definition of coffee producers and farmers, especially small-scale producers, in order to obtain accurate and reasonable data on the global coffee industry. bridge. This is also beneficial for assessing, comparing and improving the situation of stakeholders in the coffee value chain.

Financial impact

Alejandro Cadena, co-founder and CEO of Caravela Coffee, says the price paid to producers and farmers is often different. The producer’s profit from green coffee beans can be many times greater than the farmers’ profit from unprocessed fresh coffee beans. In addition, when the price C (market price of green coffee) fluctuates or the price of equipment and raw materials increases, it can be more detrimental to farmers than to producers. If these two concepts are confused, support organizations may misunderstand the difficult situation of farmers, thereby not having timely support policies.

Consumer transparency

Kenean Dukamo, export manager at Daye Bensa Coffee in Ethiopia, said that using the terms producer and farmer interchangeably could reduce transparency for consumers. Roasters and consumers sometimes want to use coffee sourced from a single growing region. But if farmers or producers do not clearly understand the difference, they may choose products that are not right. Because in some areas, coffee farmers are often small-scale scattered throughout different regions. Very few farms produce and sell their own coffee because they do not have enough resources to build their own brands, carry out marketing and business activities like large producers. Coffee from these farmers is often sold to different traders. When delivered to the supplier, it can be mixed with a variety of coffees from different growing regions but with the name of a farmer printed on it. This may mislead consumers about the quality of single-origin coffee.

In addition, farmers are only coffee growers and harvesters, while producers are also responsible for the processing and post-harvest handling. These people all play an important role in maintaining the quality and variety of coffee, while contributing to the economic and social development of local communities. Without a clear distinction, consumers may not appreciate the efforts of coffee farmers and producers.

By now, you probably have a better understanding of the difference between coffee producers and coffee farmers. If you want to use single-origin coffee from a single farmer, you can search for large farms with a clear traceability process or choose XLIII Coffee‘s products.

Don’t forget to follow 43 Factory Coffee Roaster to update useful information about the coffee world!

Source: perfectdailygrind

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