Coffee and Tea News January 2006 - April 2006
Indian Tea bags first major tea export order from Pakistan
In a historic negotiation by the commerce ministry and the United Planters Association of South India (UPASI), India has bagged a major order to supply 3 million kg of tea to Pakistan. Tea plantation firm Harrison Malayalan Ltd would supply 3 million kg of tea to Pakistan.
Vietnam coffee exports expected down
Vietnam's coffee exports in March are likely to have fallen 2 percent on year in terms of volume but risen 44.9 percent in terms of value. March coffee exports were expected to total 100,000 tons, or 1.67 million 60-kilogram bags, valued at US$113 million, the report quoted estimates issued by the Vietnamese Government is claiming.
Green Tea Prevents Mental Decline Study Finds
Scientists have found that green tea is apt to slow brain aging, helping prevent declining memory, cognitive impairment, dementia and Alzheimer's. Drinking more than 2 cups a day of green tea reduced the odds of cognitive impairment in elderly Japanese men and women by more than half. Researchers at Japan's Tohoku University studied 1003 subjects over age 70, comparing their green tea intake and mental sharpness, using a Mini-Mental State Examination, a well-accepted standardized test for measuring cognitive function.
Ethiopian Government Incentives Considerably Enhance Coffee Export
Ethiopian Coffee exporters said the various incentives offered by the government have considerably contributed to the success registered in the sector over the past three years.
The exporters said the government's extensive efforts ranging from offering training to farmers to searching markets through Ethiopian missions abroad and the provision of loan, among others, have highly contributed to the steady growth of coffee export.
Coffee War starts to Brew in United States of America
Jamaica's Coffee Production on the rebound
Production of the Blue Mountain bean is on the rebound after being hit by Hurricane Ivan and a rash of counterfeiters.
Indian trade delegation to press for trade exports to Pakistan
Hard selling Indian tea in Pakistan will be high on the agenda of the Indian delegation at the India-Pakistan dialogue on economic and commercial cooperation in Islamabad next week. A drought situation in Kenya—the main supplier of tea to Pakistan—has given India the golden opportunity to expand its market for tea in the neighboring country.
More evidence of green tea’s brain benefits
Green tea catechins may improve reference and working-memory related learning ability, say research from Japan, adding to claims that green tea can help ward off Alzheimer’s.British shipbuilders give up their tea breaks in return for hefty pay rise
Clyde ship workers have given up the age-old tradition of the mid-morning tea break in return for £1,000 and large pay rise.
Employees working in the Scotstoun and Govan yards have agreed to no longer down tools for a 15-minute brew-up in return for the lump sum and a 5.5 per cent hike in their salaries.
Coffee Industry Tries Fair Trade Reforms
Small farmers make up three-fifths of the world's 25 million coffee producers, but typically they receive the smallest portion of the industry's profits. That is slowly beginning to change as a profit distribution scheme known as "Fair Trade" is finding wider acceptance across the industry.
Indian Coffee exports at 10-year low
The Indian coffee exports are set to register a 10-year low during the current financial year ending March due to several factors including decline in production and hold over of stocks by growers.
Coffee vs. Soda
Americans are now drinking as much coffee as they do soft drinks, according to research by the National Coffee Association.
Kenya's February tea output falls 54%
Kenya's tea output fell by 54 percent to 24.7 million kg in February compared to the same month in the previous year due a severe drought in the country, the Tea Board of Kenya said on Tuesday.
Tea prices continue to decline
Prices of larger Orthodox leaf varieties were irregular and others lower by Re 1 to Rs 3 per kg, while well made medium Orthodox met with improved export demand and ruled firm. Tea prices continued to decline in the auction held in India last week.
Uganda earns more from coffee exports, but volume down
Kampala, Uganda, Uganda exported 165,762,60 bags of coffee worth US$16.1 million last month, representing an increase of 30.1 percent in income over the same month last year.
Anti-Cancer Compound in Green Tea Identified
Researchers at the University of Murcia in Spain (UMU) and the John Innes Center (JIC) in Norwich, England have shown that a compound called EGCG in green tea prevents cancer cells from growing by binding to a specific enzyme.
Kenyan Tea, Coffee Fails to Thrive in United States of America
Kenyan tea and coffee exports have failed to thrive in the lucrative United States market due to poor marketing strategies. Findings by a US consultant showed that Kenya's coffee and tea exports to the world's richest economy.
Tea firms warned over mechanised tea plucking
Kenya Tea Development Agency urged multinational tea companies intending to lay off employees by the introduction of mechanized tea plucking to go slowly with the program.
Starbucks Expanding Coffee Supply as the Chain Continues to Grow
Rapid store expansion is driving Starbucks to buy more coffee from Central America while increasingly looking for new suppliers in places like Peru and Indonesia.
Coffee mixes badly with certain genes (Heart Attack Risk)
People carrying a common variation in a certain gene could be worsening their risk of a heart attack simply by drinking several cups of coffee per day.
Coffee may boost Female Sex Drive
Scientists say caffeine lifts the female libido by stimulating parts of the brain that govern arousal.
Tim Hortons to open coffee shop in Afghanistan
The coffee-shop chain announced on Wednesday that a Tim Hortons, which has more than 2,600 locations in Canada and over 290 in the United States, will open at the Kandahar airfield in Afghanistan within the next few months.
Medical Evidence on Health Effects of Tea and Coffee Continues to Increase
A growing number of scientific studies show your daily cup of coffee or tea could have some remarkable health benefits.
Research also shows drinking coffee could lower the risk of liver and colon cancer, type two diabetes, even Parkinson's disease. One recent long-term study of women showed those who drank several cups a day were less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who drank less or none at all.
Boost for Kenyan Tea and Coffee Farmers
Kenyan Tea and coffee farmers can now directly market and export their produce in the United States at fair and competitive pricing.
This follows a move by the Export Promotion Council (EPC) to perform strategic market analysis and brokerage in the US which has broadened market share for Kenyan exports.
Kenya Seeks to Export more Tea to United States of America
Kenya and the United States have started discussing a joint strategy aimed at rapidly increasing exports of tea, coffee, horticultural crops and textiles, officials said here Monday.
The US International Development Agency (USAID) and the Export Promotion Council (EPC) of Kenya said that increasing non-traditional Kenyan exports to the US was the objective of the US$1.2 million under discussion.
Chinese tea drinkers on the rise despite competition from coffee
Despite competition from the western-origin coffee, tea, a beverage which originated in China, has survived and in fact thriving with the booming Chinese economy.
Annual output of the tea house industry across the country reached nearly $1.2 billion last year and nationwide there are more than 50,000 tea houses, mainly in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Chengdu.
Study finds coffee reduces liver risk
Coffee and tea may reduce the risk of serious liver damage in people who drink alcohol too much, are overweight, or have too much iron in the blood.
University of Scranton Study Praises Health Effects of Coffee
Coffee might soon be considered a health drink following a study conducted by the University of Scranton showing it is a surprisingly rich source of anti-cancer agents.
The study has found that coffee contributes more antioxidants - which have been linked with fighting heart disease and cancer - to the diet than cranberries, apples or tomatoes.