Main Asian coffee producers to boost consumption<\/p>\n
NUSA DUA, Bali (Reuter): Leading coffee producers in Asia and
\nthe Pacific will seek to boost consumption of the beverage as per
\ncapita incomes in the fast-growing region rise, an Indonesian
\nofficial said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Paian Nainggolan said the 14-member Association of Coffee
\nProducing Countries (ACPC) will examine ways to boost consumption
\nduring a meeting on Thursday under the aegis of the Economic and
\nSocial Commission for the Asia-Pacific region (ESCAP), an
\naffiliate of the United Nations.<\/p>\n
The meeting on the island of Bali follows a three-day session
\nof the 61-member International Coffee Organization (ICO), which
\ngroups producers and consumers.<\/p>\n
\"With the economic miracle sweeping across the Asia-Pacific
\nregion, there's no reason for us not to consider increasing
\ncoffee consumption in the region,\" Nainggolan, a former chairman
\nof the ICO's international coffee council, said.<\/p>\n
He said producers in the region accounted for some 40 percent
\nof global robusta coffee output, and this was expected to exceed
\n50 percent by the year 2000.<\/p>\n
The robusta variety is known for its bitter flavor and is
\nmixed with the more expensive arabica in portions that are
\nconsidered a trade secret. Arabica is mostly grown in Latin
\nAmerica, while Asian and African countries grow robusta.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is the world's largest producer of robusta and third
\nin overall coffee production after Brazil and Colombia.<\/p>\n
Nainggolan said China would be one of the targets for
\npromoting coffee consumption.<\/p>\n
\"China will be one of the targets for promotion in 1997 for
\nthe ICO,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The London-based ICO estimates that some 100 million Chinese
\nhave the purchasing power to drink coffee on a regular basis.<\/p>\n
Nainggolan said ESCAP could help by undertaking a study on the
\ntypes of coffee people in the region would like to drink, and
\nanother on ways to promote coffee consumption.<\/p>\n
He said coffee consumption in the region was still relatively
\nlow. For example, per capita consumption in Indonesia is 0.5 kg
\n(one lb) compared with 12 kg (26 pounds) in Norway.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia has a very big potential,\" he said, adding that
\nannual consumption was around 120,000 tons among its 200 million
\npeople.<\/p>\n
Nainggolan also said that Asia-Pacific producers, as part of
\ntheir bid to boost consumption, would invite representatives from
\nconsuming countries in the region to their future meetings.
\nHe said growing affluence in the region would see more young
\npeople drinking gourmet coffee.<\/p>\n
The ICO said in a report that domestic consumption in coffee
\nexporting countries was expected to be 23.5 million 60-kg bags in
\n1996\/97 (October\/September) from 22.9 million in 1995\/96.<\/p>\n
ICO executive director Celsius Lodder said late last month
\nthat the Far East and Eastern Europe held the best prospects for
\nfuture coffee consumption with high growth rates also expected in
\nother emerging markets like the Middle East and North Africa.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/main-asian-coffee-producers-to-boost-consumption-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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