Coffee producers face ethics onslaught

By Daniel Gumm
Coffee producers face new threats in the global export market following a shift in which buying firms are taking up more consignments sourced from ethically certified farms.

Buoyed by the concept of social responsibility, many companies are reviewing their production and supply chains to ensure they resonate with environmentally, socially and economically sustainable standards.

Certified coffee production is yet to be taken up widely, indicating the danger producers may soon face competing in export markets that are increasingly leaning towards the ethical concept.

Socfinaf, that has since been bought out by Waguthu Holdings, was among the best known Kenyan estates to take up certified production through the UTZ logo.

Others include FairView Estate, Ratuma Farmers’ Co-operative Society and the Nyeri Hill Farm that is run by the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri.Such certifications give growers the opportunity to make production sustainable.