Effects of Certification Standards Compliance on Burundi Coffee Marketing: A Case Study of COCOCA (2019-2023)

Abstract

Burundian coffee, widely recognized for its quality, faces significant challenges in the international market due to rising competition and quality requirements. Certification standards play a key role in improving agricultural practices and enhancing product value in the marketplace. This study evaluates the effects of compliance with certification standards on the coffee marketing within Consortium of Coffee farmer’s cooperatives (COCOCA). Data were collected from 33 cooperatives, including 22 certified and 11 non-certified cooperatives, totaling 96 commercial green coffee sales contracts. Based on data analysis, this paper examines the economic effects of voluntary certification schemes for coffee production and explores how certification schemes can be effective in encouraging more demands among buyers. Three major voluntary certification schemes are evaluated to identify the impacts on coffee price. The finding indicate that certification has a significant effect on coffee price, as shown by the F-value of 49.451 and the p-value < .05. This show a strong statistical evidence that the prices of certified coffee differ significantly from those of non-certified coffee. It indicated a substantial relationship between certification and price. The finding also show that a large majority of contracts for certified coffee come from abroad, indicating a strong international demand for certified coffee. The study concludes that certification scheme significantly improves coffee marketing performance by increasing prices, enhancing market access, and strengthening international competitiveness. Certified cooperatives benefit from better access to markets, higher prices, and improve visibility for their products.