Pardon Our Dust

It’s been a wild ride since 2020. It was rough on our coffee business, but we did manage to buy a small cocoa farm in 2021. That pushed us into the wonderful world of craft chocolate.

A WordPress update wiped out the custom website, and the young programmer is nowhere to be found.

I’ve returned to a simpler format, but the site will likely be a mess until I can see what is salvageable.

Thanks for stopping by!

World coffee production forecast down 11 million bags: USDA Coffee World Markets and Trade report – Global Coffee Report

World coffee production for 2021/22 is forecast down 11 million bags from the previous year to 164.8 million, according to the United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) Coffee: World Markets and Trade June 2021 report.

USDA FAS says this is due primarily to Brazil’s combined effect of Arabica trees entering the off‐year of the biennial production cycle and a weather‐related shortfall. As a result of lower output, USDA FAS expects global ending inventories are expected to drop 7.9 million bags to 32 million.

It expects world coffee bean exports to be down 4.8 million bags to 115.5 million. World coffee production for 2020/21 is revised up 300,000 bags from the Coffee: World Markets and Trade December 2020 estimate to 175.8 million.

Brazil is up two million bags to 69.9 million, largely due to updated data for Arabica output. Uganda is revised 1.2 million bags higher to six million largely due to increased area. Peru is lowered 1.1 million bags to 3.4 million on updated area and yield data. Cote d’Ivoire is reduced 700,000 bags to 1.1 million on lower yields. USDA FAS has raised world bean exports 2.8 million bags to 120.3 million.

Source: World coffee production forecast down 11 million bags: USDA Coffee World Markets and Trade report – Global Coffee Report

An Aromatic Electric Guitar Made Out of Coffee Beans

A rather caffeinated Burl of Burls Art decided to build for himself a guitar made out of 5,000 coffee beans. As with his other builds, Burl encased the beans in resin, carefully cut out the body of the guitar, connected the neck, and inserted the electronics. He also created a gorgeous headstock veneer out of copper sheeting and gave the guitar a warm, copper color that matched the beans. Additionally, the guitar itself has the aroma of coffee.

As far as the guitar goes I think it came out looking pretty awesome. The shape is like a modified Explorer.

One thing I’m sure a lot of you are wondering is why I didn’t flood coat the top and bottom of the guitar to give it a perfect finish. I gave it some consideration but it’s not every day that I build a guitar that smells this good if you’re within like 10 feet of this guitar you can smell it.

It was also kind of nice just building it because the shop smelled like coffee all the time. I wanted to keep that aspect of this guitar.

Source: An Aromatic Electric Guitar Made Out of Coffee Beans

Peru Says One-Third of Population May Have Covid-19 Antibodies – Bloomberg

Peru, which has the world’s highest per capita death rate from coronavirus, will carry out a nationwide study to gauge the prevalence of Covid-19 antibodies. Cabinet Chief Walter Martos said Tuesday that between 30% and 35% of the population has probably already been exposed, which could mean that an eventual second wave of infections will be less destructive to the country’s health system and economy. Several studies published in July suggested 1 in 4 residents of the capital Lima had been infected while the rate in other parts of the South American country may have been as high as 70%.

The Andean nation of almost 33 million has reported at least 32,000 deaths from the virus, giving it the highest per capita death toll ahead of Belgium, Bolivia and Brazil. Daily deaths and hospitalization rates have fallen steadily since early August but with countries in Europe grappling with a a resurgence of the virus, Peru’s government is seeking to allay public concern that another devastating wave of infections is around the corner. Martos told Lima-based Canal N that the government’s cautious approach to reopening the economy will help reduce the risk of a major resurgence. “Unlike Europe, we’re reactivating economic activities gradually,” he said.

Peru authorized most industries to reopen between May and July but many businesses still aren’t allowed to operate at full capacity. Restaurants and department stores will be allowed to operate at 50% and 60% capacity respectively starting Thursday, an increase of 10 percentage points on July-September levels. Bars, gyms and cinemas will remain shut. International flights will restart next week, though to a limited number of South American countries.

The slow reopening is inflicting more pain on an economy that’s posted the biggest contraction among major economies in the second quarter. Peru’s Health Ministry on Monday reported 62 new virus deaths, the lowest since April, while just over 8,000 people were being treated in hospital, down from more than 14,000 about six weeks ago.

Elsewhere in Latin America Argentina, which continues to lead the world in daily deaths on a 7-day moving average per capita, reported a record 13,477 cases on Tuesday. The government unveiled a plan to boost daily testing capacity. Fiocruz Institute warned of a reduction in availability of ICU beds in three Brazilian states, including Amazonas. Chile’s unemployment rate unexpectedly dropped after eight consecutive months on the rise, as the government started easing lockdown measures imposed during the pandemic and the retail sector recovered.

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