Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7496-6741
Date Available
8-20-2026
Year of Publication
2025
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
College
Agriculture
Department/School/Program
Agricultural Economics
Faculty
Yoko Kusunose
Faculty
David Gonthier
Abstract
Volatile commodity markets and changing climate expose coffee farmers to price and production risk. Proponents recommend specialty coffee as a strategy to combat price risk, because its unique attributes differentiate it from commodity coffee. Extrinsic and intrinsic attributes define specialty coffee and affect prices at many levels of the supply chain. Despite much work on extrinsic attributes, little is known about how intrinsic attributes relate to farmgate price. Post-harvest processing is itself an intrinsic trait and driver of coffee quality. In 2024 we surveyed 261 coffee farmers from La Paz, Honduras, to uncover relationships between capital, post-harvest processing, and farmgate price. We found that farmers select a process based on location and capital constraints. Odds of selling advanced processes, like dry-parchment and natural coffees, rose with access to wet-mills, drying facilities, loans, and education. We show empirically that farmers selling wet parchment received equal or lower prices than those selling cherry, despite the additional labor. Farmers who sold advanced processes earned 28¢/lb more than those who did not.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2025.418
Funding Information
This study was supported by the following grants and awards:
- USDA's National Needs Fellowship in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
- The Student Opportunity Grant from the University of Kentucky (UK) Food Connection in 2024.
- The Brannon Award through the UK Department of Agricultural Economics in 2024.
- Richards Graduate Student Research Activity Award through UK's agriculture college in 2024.
Recommended Citation
deSouza, Isaac, "Coffee Farmgate Price and Post-Harvest Processing in Honduras." (2025). Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics. 114.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/agecon_etds/114
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Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons, Agricultural Economics Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, Human Geography Commons, Other Forestry and Forest Sciences Commons
