Rejoice at Low Coffee Prices? What about Fair Trade?

On Monday, the LA Times ran an article titled Coffee drinkers rejoice: Price of beans hits four-year low.  Now, we’re glad that favorable weather conditions are helping increase coffee production.  And, you certainly can’t blame consumers (or the LA Times) for welcoming lower prices.

However, keep in mind that lower green coffee prices can adversely affect the financial well-being of coffee farmers and their families.  Increased production can offset lower prices but not if margins and profit are squeezed to nothing.  It often forces growers to cut costs and corners, which can often lead to compromises in quality.

Frankly, we would rather pay a little more for a great cup of coffee.  We encourage you to continue buying quality coffee, many of which quite affordable.

And, remember, October is Fair Trade month.  Learn more about Fair Trade coffee at FairTradeUSA.org and Wikipedia.com.  Looking for a quality Fair Trade coffee?  You can find hundreds of Fair Trade coffee reviews on CoffeeReview.com.