Jobs for 25 Million People
Thanks to advancing industrialization, coffee became one of the most important global commodities in the 19th century – after petroleum, it was even the most valuable export product for many producing countries. Thanks to technological progress, coffee is now much cheaper to grow, process, and transport than in the past.
Modern washing, drying, and roasting methods ensure consistently high quality to meet the growing global demand. At the same time, innovative transportation techniques have reduced delivery times from several months to just a few weeks. With the rise of container ships, coffee is now practically available all year round.
The once-privileged wonder bean is now one of the world’s most important commodities. With continuously improving processing and roasting techniques, Germany has become the largest exporter of coffee products. In 2016, 1.14 million tons of green coffee were imported. About 98 percent of the nine million tons of green coffee harvested annually come from Arabica and Robusta plants. The robust Coffea canephora (Robusta) is mainly cultivated in Southeast Asia, India, and West Africa.
The more delicate Arabica plants require a balanced climate, thrive only above 800 meters in altitude, and are more labor-intensive. They are mainly grown in East Africa as well as South and Central America. Worldwide, about 70 percent of all coffee plants are still cultivated by small farmers and small cooperatives.
Fair Trade
Only 5–15 percent of the retail price for coffee reaches the farmers in exporting countries. The constant price pressure is making it increasingly difficult for small cooperatives to survive. Initiatives such as the Fairtrade label are therefore committed to improving the living and working conditions of people at the end of the production chain.
About one-third of the world’s raw coffee production comes from Brazil, the largest producing and consuming country. There, coffee is grown in fertile regions using various cultivation methods and, after harvesting, is usually packed as dried green coffee in sacks or as bulk goods in containers.
Drying reduces weight, lowers transport costs, and prevents unwanted fermentation. From ports such as Santos, coffee is shipped to Rotterdam or Hamburg, Europe’s largest coffee import port. To avoid taxes on already roasted coffee and to maintain quality, roasting usually takes place in Germany or other destination countries such as Italy.
From the coffee bush in Brazil to the espresso cup in cafés, 25 million people worldwide depend directly or indirectly on coffee – as farmers, plantation owners, cooperative members, traders, importers and exporters, brokers, or processing companies. A total of 150 million sacks of green coffee are produced annually.
