How to Choose Truly Organic Coffee_Where to Buy Organic Coffee Beans_Are Organic Coffee Beans Expensive

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The world consumes 1 billion cups of coffee every day. Such enormous demand naturally requires massive production to support it, while pollution and pesticide use have increasingly threatened both the delicious taste of coffee itself and people's health. People have tried to obtain coffee through more natural methods, and thus, organic coffee was born.

What Are Organic Coffee Beans?

Seventy-five percent of the world's organic coffee comes from Latin America, with Honduras being the largest producer and exporter of organic coffee. Following closely are Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.

The cultivation of organic coffee is similar to other organic foods. For instance, no pesticides or other chemical agents are used to treat pests and diseases or cultivation problems. Instead, natural methods such as natural composting, hedge building, and pruning are used to maintain the growth of coffee trees. In pest control, purely natural biological control methods are employed, such as planting protective trees and utilizing various other natural agricultural techniques to ensure the health of coffee trees.

Organic coffee cultivation returns to a harmonious state between humans and nature, not only enhancing the coffee trees' ability to resist natural disasters but also improving soil nutrients, protecting the agricultural state of tropical rainforests, and causing the surrounding bird populations to multiply several times over.

Closed for Three Years, Just for One Good Bean

Organic coffee is extremely popular in Western countries. The annual growth of organic coffee imports in the United States and Canada once reached 29% (2007-2008). Despite this, truly organic coffee in the world remains extremely rare.

First, there is the reduced yield brought by organic cultivation methods. A coffee tree needs to grow for five years before it can flower and bear fruit. One pound of coffee requires approximately 4,000 coffee beans, all harvested entirely by hand, while the coffee cherries harvested from each tree annually are only enough to produce one pound of roasted coffee beans. In many parts of the world, growers use pesticides to control coffee pest growth, often because high-altitude areas are humid and foggy, making coffee more susceptible to fungal infections. The consequence of insisting on not using chemical pesticides is often a 50% reduction in yield.

Second is the lengthy and complex organic certification process. For organic coffee from Latin America to enter the United States, it must obtain USDA Organic certification. The latter strictly stipulates that the soil for coffee cultivation has not used any fertilizers and pesticides for 3 years. This means certification takes at least 3 years, and farmers must bear the economic losses caused by reduced production during this period.

In addition, coffee, due to its unique consumption method, is also subject to special scrutiny in organic certification: only coffee beans roasted by certified organic factories are considered organic coffee.

Unparalleled, Yet Uncertified Organic

Of course, not only coffee labeled with "organic certification" logos is organic coffee.

On the other side of the globe in Ethiopia and Yemen, farmers adopt the most primitive "organic" cultivation methods because they cannot afford pesticides and fertilizers. The Ethiopian beans, which appear somewhat "slender," and the Yemeni beans, which could be described as "ugly," each possess their own unparalleled excellent flavors. Coffee enthusiasts almost universally know about Ethiopia's jasmine fragrance and citrus-lemon flavors as well as its refreshing and smooth taste, while Yemen is world-renowned for its classic chocolate bitterness and red wine aroma. However, coffee from these two countries with "organic certification" labels is virtually nonexistent. Why? Obtaining organic certification requires cumbersome application and inspection procedures, as well as a significant investment of funds that farmers cannot afford. When they don't even have money to buy pesticides, fertilizers, or grain, how could they possibly purchase organic certification?

Although "organic certification" cannot identify every coffee individually, "organic" cultivation is indeed the gateway to producing fine coffee.

How to Choose Truly Organic Coffee Beans

The insufficient supply and demand for organic coffee determines that its market price is higher than regular coffee. When purchasing organic coffee, besides price, one must also look for organic certification logos. Below are the logos of common organic coffee certification organizations:

UTZ Certified Good Coffee

UTZ is an independent organization that certifies various premium coffees worldwide. Its certification scope covers every production step from coffee cultivation to roasting.

Rainforest Alliance Certified

The Rainforest Alliance's certification standards for coffee stipulate: adopting traditional cultivation methods under native forest shade, which are beneficial to protecting the ecosystem.

USDA ORGANIC

The most authoritative organic certification in the United States. USDA's certification standards for organic coffee are extremely stringent, requiring that coffee contain no synthetic chemicals (such as fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics), and that the soil in which it grows has not been treated with synthetic chemicals for at least three years, among other strict conditions.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small storefront but diverse varieties of beans, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans, while also providing online store services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473