FNC’s German Bahamon Responds To Petro’s Threats
FNC’s German Bahamon Responds To Petro’s Threats
Coffee Network (Bogota)- After the controversial statements made by Colombia President Gustavo Petro to restructure the National Coffee Federation, and after issuing an ultimatum to withdraw the shared contract with the National Coffee Fund, the new general manager of the coffee growers federation German Bahamon said he is not leaving his post.
Yesterday Petro said the Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) must be restructured, and if this restructuring does not materialize, he would withdraw the shared contract with the National Coffee Fund.
When asked by radio journalists of La W whether he consider leaving FNC, Bahamon said. "The answer is no. I was elected by the coffee growers of Colombia, I am one of the coffee growers. I was working with them to tell them about the transformations that I want to make in the Federation and to tell them about the restructuring that we need in search of efficiency,” he said.
Despite the manager's intention to meet with the President of the Republic, Bahamon said Petro has been reluctant to meet with him.
"There is not a dialogue with the President,” Bahamon said.
Bahamon reiterated that he is willing to work hand in hand with the government. ”We cannot continue falling into polarization. I am convinced and promised until the coffee growers decide, "Bahamón added.
If the Petro’s administration ends the National Coffee Fund, more than 500,000 families would be affected. “Without a doubt, this is very worrying, because this not only sends a message to 548,000 coffee-growing families, but to all unions.
In addition, the manager of FNC said indicated that the idea of the transformation must be done with agreements. “Based on the experience I've had in the commercial world, I want to work for coffee growing. I am a coffee grower from Huila who wants to make changes in the National Federation of Coffee Growers. But this should not be done in these microphones, but with dialogues, with concertation, with agreements.
Yesterday, the National Committee of Coffee Growers met with four of its ministers, headed by the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Foreign Trade, the Minister of Agriculture and the Director of National Planning. The four sitting with the coffee union were looking for solutions to the problems that afflict coffee families”.
Bahamon said FNC has doubts about how the government observes security, the future of fertilization and the productivity of the union. “I would have liked to hear in Pitalito what the issue of the government’s security strategy is to protect coffee growers; what is the contribution that coffee growing can make, as Minister Mujica wants in terms of fertilizing and renewing the coffee plantation to generate productivity and progress in families.”
The National Coffee Fund
The threat of Petro of ending the National Coffee Fund has dire effects on coffee growers. The fund ensures farmers always have a buyer for their coffee in the villages at market prices based on international coffee prices. To provide this service, the Federation -through the cooperatives- guarantees the purchase in more than 500 points throughout the country. As a result, producers have a place to sell their coffee, close to their farm at market prices and are guaranteed cash payment.
The National Coffee Fund also finances the coffee research center Cenicafe and the extension service, which are considered one of the best in the world. The Federation's extension service has close to 1,500 extension agents who support the implementation of the initiative programs of the coffee institutionality.
“No other coffee-producing country in the world has the technology, varieties and support generated by Cenicafé and the extension service,” the FNC wrote.
FNC has administered the National Coffee Fund (FoNC) since 1940.
The fund also finances programs for productive reconversion and support for coffee growers. It also finances building community infrastructure, including maintaining tertiary roads.
The distance between Petro and FNC
This division between Petro and FNC began earlier this year when Petro tried to stop the election of the new general manager of FNC, which was defined after four months of work and interviews with the different candidates. When Bahamon was elected, he questioned the election with a twitter claiming: “This is the new president of the Federation of Coffee Growers. I thought it was time for dialogue and common construction. I will dialogue with their regional grassroots organizations,” he warned.
From there the division was maintained, so that later in a meeting in Sevilla (Valle del Cauca), he again questioned the Federation and the manager, stating: "While we know the names of great bureaucrats with illustrious surnames directing the Federation, we did not find the name of a pensioner farmer".
Although the coffee growers, through the manager, have sought to meet with the president, the national president has kept his distance from the union and his warning to make profound changes.
By Diana Delgado
