ERMERA, 09 jullu 2010 (TATOLI) – Farmers in Leimia Village, Ermera District face the economic impact by receiving only a small fraction of the retail price of their crop as the coffee price is lowest to 0.32 centavos amid corona virus outbreak.
“The local coffee price lowest to 32 centavos per kilogram, we want to ask the government to set the real costs to 0.50 centavos per kilogram, As the current price will not support the economy of our family,” Spekear of Leimea Village Cipriano dos Santos said in his statement.
The country has passed three months long of state emergency, and currently under COVID-19 restriction and it is making coffee growing unprofitable for the farmers in Hatulia Ermera District.
“Coffee production is fixed although the world is facing COVID-19, and covid-19 has no affect on our coffee products, with people are continuing to purchase our coffees but the price is lowest,” Cipriano said.
Hilária Rodrigues, Coffee Farmer from Leimea village said she has largest coffee fields, that can produce up to 3 tonnes every year and coffee is the only product she has to support the economy of her families however she feels unsatisfied with the price.
“I have plenty of coffees for this year, this time I produced three tonnes of coffees, but the price has dropped and it is not enough to support my family,” she said.
FRACTION IN A MONTLY EXPORTS
TL- Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery (MAF) last month registered the fraction in monthly exports of coffee, almost half of the year, stoking concerns that global demand may ebb as economies reel from the pandemic.
The Cooperative Café Timor (CCT) delivery every year 6000 to 9000 tons of coffee to the countries in Asia and Europe such as Singapore, United State of America, Australia, New Zeland and Germany.
However, the reel from the pandemic, the coffee shipments is poor during April as the coffee export agency has not yet been invested which reflect lower output for this year.
According to MAP Agribusiness Director Fernando Egidio Amaral there are Some of Timorese families depend on coffee and 20 percent have direct income from the product, but because of poor delivery, many are affected by their incomes.
“I have called the coffee exports from Timor Leste Coffee Association, to purchase these coffees products in order not to bane our coffee farmers” he said.
In Spite during the normal situation, the Red Bean Coffee delivery of one kilogram is 25-35 cents, HS Coffee cost $1 to $1.75 per kilogram and regular clean coffee cost $3.9.
“The Minimum price for one-kilogram coffee is $3,9 and maximum price is $5 to $7 per kilogram, “said Director Amaral.
Jornalista: Antónia Gusmão
Editora: Julia Chatarina
Translation: Nelia Borges
