STiR coffee and tea magazine

38 STiR coffee and tea / Issue 6, 2019 (December / January 2020) "C hina's organic certification rules are inferior to corresponding interna- tional regulations." "China-grown coffees frequently fail to gain western certification because they are unable to comply with the tough require- ments." These are arguments occasionally uttered in western coffee industry circles. But they are grounded in misconceptions, perhaps even some bias. In fact, Chinese coffee growers find themselves in a very complex situation, the result of a slew of mutually compounding factors. Shirley Liu, general manager of Yun- nan Volcafe Co. Ltd., calls it "a conundrum." Laborious to obtain, expensive to maintain Although more costly "organic" products are not necessarily "high quality" – and vice versa. Soil conditions in many of China's coffee growing regions leave a lot to be de- sired. "Our soils cannot provide enough natural nutrition so organic coffees tend to have low yield and can suffer from poor visual appearance, which in turn reflects in the cup," explained Liu. "Overseas and local roasters are reluctant to buy [Chinese] organic coffee for this reason, especially when there is a price premium on the coffee as well." Then there is the tremendous effort that is required to actually obtain organic cer- tification locally or through internationally accredited organizations. Apart from exten- sive paperwork, organic certificates are an expensive, recurring investment for growers who must think twice before jumping through hoops in the current economy that has caused coffee prices to plummet. Organic Coffee Certification in China Organic coffees and teas are on the upswing in China. But it's not all a walk in the park. There are still issues to tackle. By Thomas Schmid Mark Respinger, international advisor at Kunming-based roaster, ManLao River Coffee [ManLao River Coffee Co. Ltd.]

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