Ecobreves – COLOMBIA: Organic Coffee for Japan

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

BOGOTA, Oct 21 2006 (IPS) - Beginning in February, the indigenous Arhuacos of Colombia's northern Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, will export annually 15 containers to Japan with 289 tons of Tiwun coffee, which the community grows using environmentally sustainable methods. Francisco Zalabata, member of the Tayrona Indigenous Confederation, told Tierramérica that the commercialization of the coffee will take place through an agreement signed Oct. 19 by his group and the city of Santa Marta and the Community Trade Network.

Zalabata said Tiwun is a special coffee grown by about 350 indigenous families, following rules of fair trade, and is considered among those with best aroma, taste and texture in the world.

The aim of the network in marketing the product, says Zalabata, is to reach the customer without intermediaries, so that the economic benefits of exporting their coffee go directly to the growers.