STiR coffee and tea magazine

STiR coffee and tea 19 Compadre solar roaster in Peru PANAMA Coffee Processing Near the Canal A new coffee processing plant opened in late May in Las Gaitas, Capira, as part of the Panama Canal Authority's Environmental Incentives Program (PIEA). The program, a land-title initiative to support communities in the canal's watershed, already has developed coffee farming in the area. The new processing plant supports that continuing effort, according to a report by the American Journal of Transportation. Farmers producing coffee on land granted by the PIEA program have been traveling three hours to roast their beans. The new facility is only an hour away. PAPUA NEW GUINEA Coffee Market Study One third of Papua New Guinea's population, about 400,000 families, depend on growing and processing coffee. A new study by the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access (PHAMA) Program describes an 11% decline in production from 2010 through 2016. Output, which historically exceeded 1 million 60-kilo bags, has fallen below that threshold with 15% less coffee from larger plantations. Due to quality concerns, exports trade at prices that average 12.7% below commodity baselines. "There is no lack of demand for high grade coffee from PNG," writes principal author Andrew Hetzel. "Supply is the primary constraint. PNG retains a favorable overall impres- sion among older specialty buyers, who indicate they can purchase as much coffee meeting their standards as the country can produce. "The potential exists to introduce PNG as a specialty origin to younger professionals and consumers, who are the future of the industry," according to the study. Learn more: www.aecom.com PERU Solar Roaster Helps Farmers Compadre, a coffee startup based in Lima, Peru, recently received top honors from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for its Solar Hybrid Coffee Roaster. The machine catches and stores the sun's energy using solar panels and directly roasts beans using a series of angled mirrors that heat a rotating steel drum. The solar roaster, which got its start with company c.e.o. Juan Pablo Perez's university thesis and evolved with an interdisciplinary research team, was tested with native commu- nities in the Peruvian jungle. Through this work, researchers "saw how deep unfair prices affected small farmers," company spokesperson Adriana Lombardi said. "So, they took it upon themselves to do something about it." Compadre installs solar roasters to local farmers' communi- ties, teaches farmers how to use the technology and then buys their beans at a price higher than what the local market offers, Lombardi said. "Farmers roast their own coffee with Compadre's ma- chines and receive an extra payment for each kilogram that is selected and roasted," she said. "We sell the coffee and take care of the coffee distribution to our clients, creating a transparent and fair chain with all the people involved and with our environment. "This allows them to give added value to their product and have higher incomes," Lombardi said. "Economic recognition for their hard work and organic practices encourages them to keep these practices and continue to work and live in the countryside," she said. ASME awarded Compadre $10,000 and 20 hours of engineering design consultation. The prize will be used to enhance the solar roaster and develop a larger-capacity production roaster. "We've reached a point where our coffee production has reached its limit and our demand keeps increasing, so the development of this new roaster is a priority for us," Lombardi said. Learn more: http://compadre.pe/home-eng UGANDA Big Coffee Export Hike Expected The government of Uganda expects a significant increase in coffee exports during the next two years, raising totals to 20 million bags per year. The expectation stems from the Agriculture Cluster Development Project, an initiative funded by the World Bank that is designed to raise farm productivity for coffee, maize, cassava, rice, and beans. The project includes investments in on-farm and community storage, post-harvest handling and processing equipment, and infrastructure, according to a report by the Dispatch news magazine. Officials estimate the project will affect 450,000 farm households. Efforts will start in the districts of Amuru, Iganga, Kalungu, Nebbi, and Ntugamo because each region has strong potential for each of the five selected commodities. UK Costa's UK Sales Decline A loss of shoppers in key retail area is being blamed for slow sales among Costa Coffee's outlets across the United Kingdom. Whitbread, Costa's partner company, reported a 2% drop in year-to-year sales over the January-March period. The company also said total sales growth climbed 5.2% for the same period thanks to new store openings.

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