Øko kaffe fra Chiapas, Mexico—

Mut Vitz/Bird Mountain Cooperative

Founded: 1997; Export license 1998
Region: San Juan de la Libertad, Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico
Coffee: Arabica coffees, primarily Typica, Caturra, and Bourbon. Grown at altitudes of between 900 and 1400 meters, classified as Extra Prime to Strictly Hard Bean.
Characteristics: A full-bodied coffee with a hint of nut and chocolate in the cup, good acidity and excellent aroma.
Local Initiatives for Self-Development
Cooperatives like S.S.S. Mut Vitz are positive examples of the level of local initiative that exists and that is prepared to work for change in terms of true respect for Indigenous rights and human dignity in Chiapas. In this case, the producers hope that by gaining direct control over the processing and sale of their coffee, they will be able to actually improve the standard of living and general well being for their members and communities.
The main objectives of the cooperatives programs for agroecological production and organizational development include:

increasing the local knowledge of appropriate, alternative technology for the organic production of their coffee.
improving the potential of the cooperative members to sell their coffee at "fair prices" both nationally and internationally.
improving the basic infrastructure for each of the cooperative members in order to guarantee a strict quality control, and reduce the physical burden of wet processing of the coffee.
improving the overall, collective infrastructure for the dry-processing and transportation of the coffee.
improving the overall economic and social well-being of its members.

Mut Vitz producers are enthusiastic -- in spite of the enormous political and financial challenges they currently face. Autonomous cooperative members find themselves under constant attack by state and federal government forces. Since early 1995, beginning with the military invasion in the Lacandon and continuing with the on-going counter-insurgency warfare now underway in many areas of the Jungle and Highlands regions, organizations autonomous of the official party line and their physical structures suffer recurring attacks. This has created a variety of serious, unexpected obstacles to any kind of consistent development plans in the communities. However, the members have not been dissuaded from their organizational nor economic goals.
The principal economic challenges that the cooperatives have identified include:

Providing credit to the producers- during the production process, producers need cash credits in order to be able to contract temporary hired labor in order to complete soil conservation practices, pruning, and the actual harvest and processing of the crop.
Providing credit to the organization during the process of gathering the coffee from coop members; the organization needs cash credit in order to pay producers at least a minimal down-payment on their crops until money from the actual purchase arrives.

Providing credit and/or development grant money to the organization - in order to be able to pay for initial small infrastructure, technical training, processing plant and heavy infrastructure, and to cover the costs of inspection and organic certification.