1,900 smallholder farmers in the north of Peru form the solid basis for coffee cooperative Cenfrocafe. Trade finance from Triodos Sustainable Trade Fund connects them to world markets.
Direct and fair payment
Cenfrocafe is a medium-sized cooperative of 1,900 coffee farmers that sources around Jaen, in the northern part of Peru. The certified organic and fair trade green coffee is processed and exported to trading houses in Europe, the United States and Japan. Cenfrocafe is able to pay its farmers directly and fairly upon delivery of their produce thanks to the trade finance provided by Triodos Sustainable Trade Fund.
Best practices in sutainable agriculture
Nelleke Veenstra, Senior Investment Officer: ‘Cenfrocafe is very much driven by the cooperative spirit. For example, the co-op has designed a picture manual to educate members about production, farm management and active membership. It also has a team of agronomists to support best practices in sustainable agriculture – with excellent results. A renovation programme more than doubled the yield per hectare in the space of ten years. These types of maintenance programme are important, especially now that many coffee plantations are old and vulnerable to diseases.’
Largest traded commodity
Coffee is the world’s largest traded agricultural commodity and so it is no surprise that it represents the largest single product exposure in the Triodos Sustainable Trade Fund portfolio. At present, the fund provides trade finance to coffee cooperatives in Nicaragua, Honduras, Bolivia, Peru, Mexico, Rwanda and Burundi. Cenfrocafe is a new addition to the fund’s portfolio. Other products in the portfolio range from cotton and cocoa to honey and olive oil.
Take a look at the world map for more examples in the fund's portfolio.