regions > burma

Climate: Tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April). Terrain: Central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands. Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m Highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m Economy: Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from abject rural poverty. The military regime took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to Socialism", but those efforts have since stalled. Burma has been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an economy that suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including an official exchange rate that overvalues the Burmese kyat by more than 100 times the market rate. In addition, most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta suppressed the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 election. Burma is data poor, and official statistics are often dated and inaccurate. Published estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and border trade - often estimated to be one to two times the official economy. Burma isn't known for its coffee. For the latter half of the last century there hasn't been alot of quality production. In recent times there is very exciting story unfolding with a difference, which is US. In Burma or Myandmar one of the largest agricultural activities or industries is growing hard drugs. There was a little coffee grown, but the economic giants paid little for it. Our contact has taken it upon himself to educate the people of Burma. Showing them how to produce GREAT coffee. They are shown how to grow the right plants at no cost. At the end of the year there is a cupping. Each farm's future is dependent upon this. If the quality is acceptable, our contact then purchases the coffee at a rate far, far above the rates paid by the economic giants. As far as us making a difference, I had to trade with this coffee. Our contact lives on the edge, helping farmers genuinely making a difference, whilst puting his life at risk. We can buy the coffee and enjoy it. Even enjoy the story behind its pedigree. It's up to US.

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