Organic

Organic certification acts as a guarantee to the consumer that the coffee they are buying has been grown using organic practices. Each country has a different set of standards and laws on what can be labelled as organic.

Generally, the requirements are only naturally occurring substances are used for fertiliser and to control weeds and pests.

There are also usually requirements around sustainable agriculture and avoiding soil erosion and protecting native plants and animals.

Verification of these requirements is carried out by accredited certifying agencies such as the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). The certifying agencies visit a farm and verify that no chemicals have been used on the farm for several years.

They then follow every step of the growing, harvesting, and processing stages. Such careful monitoring is expensive, which is one reason why organic coffee cost more than similar non-organic coffee.

Growing

Organic coffee beans

• Tree cover provides shade, and falling leaves provide a mulch cover for the soil and help retain moisture.

• Trees are also home to birds and insects, which will provide natural pest control.

Non-organic coffee beans

• Non-organic coffee is often grown in full sun because it produces higher yields.

• Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and chemical fertilisers are often used.

Harvesting

Organic coffee beans

• Organic coffee is often picked by hand which is the most expensive and least efficient method.

• Extra care is taken to avoid machinery and carbon emissions if at all possible.

Non-organic coffee beans

• Non-organic coffee is harvested using any method.