Posted on: Monday, March 31, 2003

EDITORIAL
It's premature to ban green coffee beans

Rep. Bob Herkes, who represents the Big Island's Kona district, has introduced a resolution that proposes restricting, or if necessary banning, the importation of green coffee beans into Hawai'i.

Three months ago, Herkes proposed a similar measure that would make it illegal to import green coffee into the state. That died in committee, and the latest measure has been deferred, though not necessarily indefinitely.

Both measures cite concerns about such invasive species as green scale, Kona coffee root-knot nematode, coffee berry disease, beetles and medfly.

It's perfectly prudent to be concerned about invasive species. But it hasn't yet been established that imported green coffee beans pose a threat.

The state Agriculture Department has long implemented safeguards and quarantine measures against the invasive species, including ones that might enter Hawai'i via foreign green coffee beans.

"They haven't found any reason to believe there's a threat," says Rep. Alex Sonson, vice chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.

Nonetheless, Herkes sees the influx of foreign-grown green coffee beans as a concern.

Perhaps from the standpoint of Herkes and his Kona constituents, the threat is more economic than environmental. Let's consider the competition.

The coffee roasting and packaging industry in Hawai'i is worth at least $20 million and employs hundreds. The state's largest enterprise is the Hawai'i Coffee Co,, which sells Lion Coffee and Royal Kona coffee brands.

Most of its coffee products are a blend of 10 percent home-grown beans and 90 percent foreign-grown beans.

If the roasters of blended coffees cannot import green beans, they will have to roast them elsewhere, perhaps the Mainland, which will jack up the price of their operations and coffee. Premium Kona coffee costs substantially more than blends.

Is there a middle ground? Sonson thinks so. He's hoping to amend the resolution so the state Department of Agriculture can assess the risk of imported green coffee beans. If it does turn out that the imports are endangering locally grown beans, then we can talk about more draconian measures.

In the meantime, it is perfectly reasonable to protect and encourage our local coffee industry through promotion, support and vigorous protection of its brand identity. But there is nothing to gain from unnecessarily driving away the other coffee roasting industry.