Britain has signed a key global coffee sector agreement aimed at tackling some of the industry's most pressing issues, including making coffee growing and coffee consumption more sustainable.
Details
Food and farming minister Mark Spencer signed the 'International Coffee Agreement (ICA) 2022', the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Department said in a joint statement with the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) and the British Coffee Association (BCA).
The agreement for the first time gives private sector players like roasters and farmers a more prominent role, alongside national governments, in driving the global coffee sector's sustainability initiatives.
"This international treaty champions the industry globally, and I hope the UK can help continue its drive for new standards of sustainability for our coffee," said Spencer.
First ICA
The first ICA was signed between producing and consuming countries in 1962, with the aim of regulating global coffee prices via the use of production quotas.
It later collapsed, prompting a move to freely traded markets that have kept prices mostly low, farmers facing poverty and sustainability efforts impaired.
Sales Of Brazil's 2022/23 Coffee Crop Are Below Average, Says Report
The above news follows news from earlier this year that Brazilian coffee farmers sold 78% of the current crop (2022/23, July-June) by 15 February, a slower selling pace than seen at this time last year (86%) and also below the long-term average (81%) for the period, consultancy Safras & Mercado has said in a report.
Read More: Sales Of Brazil's 2022/23 Coffee Crop Are Below Average, Says Report
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