Attempt to rebalance market will hit poorest nations

Charlotte Denny
Guardian

Tuesday September 17, 2002

The world is awash with coffee: production in the year to this month totalled 113m bags, says the International Coffee Organisation, while coffee drinkers managed to work their way through just 106m bags.

With largest producer Brazil set for a record harvest this year, the glut is only likely to worsen. Last year, Oxfam estimated that 15m bags of low grade coffee would have to be destroyed to bring supply back into line with demand.

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