Green Coffee: Quality, Grading and Trade
The characteristics used to describe green coffee – and why coffee is not the world’s second most important traded commodity after oil.
Before roasting, green coffee is assessed physically, through the senses and using information about its origin. Individual measurements are useful, but only together do they provide a reliable picture.
Physical Characteristics
- moisture content and water activity
- density, size and uniformity
- colour, odour and age
- type and number of physical defects
Sensory and Informational Characteristics
A tasting describes aroma, flavour, acidity, sweetness, mouthfeel, aftertaste and possible faults. Traceability, variety, processing and harvest information may also be relevant to the assessment.
A Common Trade Myth
The claim that coffee is the world’s second most important or second most traded commodity after oil is not accurate today. Historically, coffee was at times a particularly important export for many developing countries. Today, the FAO describes coffee more precisely as the most traded tropical product and one of the world’s most important agricultural commodities.
Price Is Not the Same as Quality
Commodity exchange prices serve as a reference for large market segments. Specialty coffee can be valued differently because of distinctive characteristics, small volumes, origin and more direct trading relationships. Transparent information is more meaningful than sweeping superlatives.
Sources
Technical editorial: Stefan Anzinger, SCA AST
Photo: René Porter · Unsplash License.
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