Thousands of Coffee Growers Marched On March on 17 April Across The Nation
Thousands of Coffee Growers Marched On March on 17 April Across The Nation
Coffee Network (Bogota)- More than 3,000 Colombian coffee growers marched on 17 April across the country demanding the higher coffee prices, the application of the coffee price stabilization fund and higher loans, Coffee Dignity, the group that advocates for improved living conditions said.
Thousands of producers took on public roads and squares to release the list of demands presented to the government that includes: fair price, development credit, solution to debt problems, subsidy for the purchase of inputs, reparation to cooperatives affected by future purchases among others.
The coffee growing men and women of the departments of Antioquia, Caldas, Quindío, Risaralda, Tolima, Valle, Cauca, Santander and Huila protested, Coffee Dignity said.
Despite the fortunate rebound in the domestic coffee price thanks to the news of problems in the Vietnamese harvest and the urgency of farmers in various areas of (Colombia) to collect grains in the summer to earn some subsistence income, more than 3,000 producers set up shop on public roads and squares to raise the list of demands, Coffee Dignity’s director Oscar Gutierrez told Coffee Network.
“More than 3,000 growers participated in those marches so that the government establishes a working table to find solutions on the nine requests we have,” Gutierrez told Coffee Network.
A march of coffee growers is expected to take place on 21 April. This is organized by a separate group of growers, and will protest against the measures of president Gustavo Petro, people familiar said.
Coffee Dignity demands a purchase price of the grain that includes a subsidy that allows the production costs to be collected and a profit rate which could take the price to about two million pesos per load of 125kg of parchment coffee. Colombian coffee prices closed yesterday at COP1.886 million ($496) per load of 125kg, the highest price since May 24, allowing growers to pocket gains as production costs are estimated around COP1.55 million.
The also demand to review the parameters for the performance factor. Based on the quote of the performance factor for setting the price, which today is at 94.
They also ask the coffee growers federation FNC to regulate second-hand cafes and pasillas so that fair prices are paid for these products.
They also demand the coffee contribution to the Coffee Stabilization fund to go from 0.5 to 2 cents of a dollar.
Coffee Dignity also said they require a 5-year development loan with interest rates equal to or less than 2% per year, to renewal by planting or Zoca and with a grace period of 2 years, while coffee growing is reactivated and eliminate some conditions which prevent access to credit for coffee producers.
They also demand a debt relief policy, which includes partial forgiveness of capital and interest totals. The government will inject sufficient money into FONSA (law 302/96) for relief of all the debts of all the agricultural producers who, due to price problems, phytosanitary, pest and climate problems are owed to financial entities, as follows:
To small agricultural producers 90% of capital plus 100% of interest.
- To medium and larger producers 80% of the capital and 100% of the interests.
In addition, the government should subsidize the inputs of the agricultural sector by 50% for small producers and 40% for other producers, whether medium or large in Colombia.
They also demand a call to all Arabica coffee-producing countries to make a Pact that allows establishing favorable conditions, in the price of Arabica coffee, compared to the world market.
In addition, they will also demand tariffs on coffee imports. “Colombia must produce the coffee it requires to supply its market and that is why we do not agree,” it said.
By Diana Delgado
