differentiate their coffee product through certification schemes
such as fair trade, organic or Bird Friendly1 coffee. However, it has
been demonstrated that certification is not enough to ensure
increased market shares and an added value to coffee (Kilian et al.,
2006). Despite a growing demand for certified coffee, producer
prices for fair trade and organic coffee is predicted to decrease
in the future as supply of these coffees increases faster than
demand (Giovannucci, 2001, 2003). Another and perhaps more
viable differentiation strategy focus on specialty or gourmet coffee
of high quality.
Production of high quality Arabica coffee depends on three
main factors: the genetic resource, environmental conditions, and
management (both agronomic and post-harvest management). For
most coffee producers the environmental conditions, e.g. topography
and climate, are given, while the genetic resource depends
on choice of coffee variety and provenance. Besides use of fertilizer