Guatemalan tragedy

[beanflying]

A tragedy in Guatemala 19 workers died on there way to pick coffee, packed into the back of a cattle truck Very sobering to think about the human cost of our beverage and the conditions those on the bottom of the processing chain work under.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...112904762.html

[rmoulynox]

Re: Guatemalan tragedy

I used to think coffee was quite expensive...then I realised how much time and effort has to go into a $12 kg of green beans, how bad the yields are etc. Now I think its exceptionally cheap.

[Ronin]

Re: Guatemalan tragedy

I used to think coffee was quite expensive...then I realised how much time and effort has to go into a $12 kg of green beans, how bad the yields are etc. Now I think its exceptionally cheap.

So much time and effot into something we snobs love.
$12/ kilo is a bargin.
After visiting a third world coffee production (from farmers & co-ops following the process to the monopoliser.......um roaster) and finding out just how much the farmer gets for their efforts of growing, pulping, drying and transporting to the wearhouse. Its bugger all.
And to have the only purchaser (who is the roaster) badly roast and not allowing purchse of green beans for any one else to roast is just ruining the product.
All this after the local government has spent millions developing the market for someone to come in and ruin it for the locals.

Rant ended, it is a sad day for the coffee community in Guatemala