The weather pattern being experienced in the country is raising fears that Mzuzu Coffee Planters Cooperative Union Limited may not be able to meet the demand for the crop in international markets.
The union’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Bernard Kaunda, has noted that the amounts of rainfall being received may delay ripening of the crop, making it difficult to supply international markets on time.
“Last year, we also experienced the same problem but, it was due to prolonged cold weather. There will not be much impact on the domestic market but may have an impact in the international markets, if the volumes expected are less or, if the volumes expected are exceeded,” Kaunda said.
He described the development as a setback that will impact the union’s strategy to extend supply to new markets, both in the region and the Far East.
“New international markets are being explored, especially the Far East and regional markets of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Botswana.
“We are talking of two products, the green beans are traded on international market. This market is a specialty market taking on board coffee of high quality, fair trade and organic certified and the roast and ground coffee is sold on the domestic market. This is the product we want to introduce on the regional market,” Kaunda said.
Five to seven percent of Mzuzu Coffee products account for the domestic market while the International market accounts for 93 to 95 percent of the total volume.
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