Workers load sacks of coffee beans into a container before it heads to the EU. --Photo CPC

Southern coffee cooperatives face export shortfall

The board of management of the Bolaven Plateau Coffee Producers Cooperative (CPC) said that this year the export of coffee beans to trading partners in European countries has fallen to 30 percent compared to the last season.
A senior manager at CPC who asked not to be named told Vientiane Times on Tuesday that the cooperative was able to export about 49 containers of coffee beans to EU markets this growing season (the year 2021-2022).
“The price of coffee beans on the world market in 2021-2022 has been quite good because we were able to earn over US$5 million from 49 containers, while the figure for 2020-2021 was 71 containers and the value of exports exceeded US$5 million because the price was lower in the past few years,” he said.
He said that the decrease in the volume of exports was caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, insect infestations, and other issues.  
CPC alongside other participants including Yuni Coffee, Sixnature, Slow, Jai Cooperative and Bolaven farms recently participated in the 2022 World of Coffee, a global coffee exhibition, held in Milan, Italy, from June 23-25.
Participation in this important event enabled the Lao participants to discuss their experiences with other exhibitors from around the world and also take part in coffee specialty activities.
“We didn’t meet any new trading partners at the event but a number of our old trade partners come to visit our booths. Of course, we’ve exchanged business cards with new interested visitors and we hope there will be good news for us to meet with more buyers,” he said.
The delegation from Laos was led by the Lao Coffee Association in the Agriculture Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Winrock USA, and Arise Plus Lao PDR, with financial support from the USA and the European Union.
According to www.worldofcoffee.org, the official website of the organising committee, a similar event is planned in Athens, Greece, on June 22-24, 2023.
Created in 2007 with the support of the Lao government and the French Development Agency (AFD), the Bolaven Plateau Coffee Producers Cooperative or CPC (formerly known as AGPC) is a prime example of what is possible when small-scale farmers join forces.
Today, the 100 percent farmer-owned organisation consists of about 1,422 coffee growing households spread over 54 villages and thus has come a long way since its establishment in 2007, when it started from scratch.
The organisation continues to grow with exports reaching 1,000 tonnes of green coffee a year. It is also involved in several projects to strengthen the entire Lao coffee supply chain, for example by participating in the establishment of a Geographical Indication (GI) for Bolaven coffees.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update June 29, 2022)