Panama coffee quality slips as price slump hits

Reuters, 10.24.02, 2:39 PM ET

By Robin Emmott

PANAMA CITY, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Panama coffee is losing the quality that only recently won it the reputation as "the fine wine" of Latin America's coffee crop, as low prices forced growers to cut back on vital fertilizers and other agricultural needs.

Panama's coffee producers, who grow specialty arabica coffee in volcanic soil free from chemical fertilizers, say around 90 percent of Panama's 5,000 highland growers are letting quality slip because they don't have the money to maintain crops at the highest standards.

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