FoodBanter.com - View Single Post - Figured it out- Coffee to OZ

smithfarms pure kona

On Wed, 17 May 2006 14:44:21 GMT, (Phred)
wrote:

>In article >, notbob
> wrote:
>>On 2006-05-16, smithfarms pure kona > wrote:
>>> I was sending green/unroasted coffee beans to Australia and that
was
>>> when the Customs whatever/whomever kept it from my buyer, asking
for
>>> big bucks in Import fees.
>>
>>Hmmm... too bad. Sucks to be in OZ. (if you like real Kona coffee)
>
>The problem is probably that "green/unroasted" bit... Lot of coffee
>diseases overseas that Oz doesn't have yet, so quarantine laws can be
>pretty strick. I dunno whether Hawaii is also largely free of these
>diseases, so that may be a bit unfair to growers there if they are.
>
>Also, when looking at customs duties and our popular GST, charges can
>depend a bit on the mode of import. I could be wrong, but I have the
>impression standard postal articles have a bit of an advantage here.
>Things arriving by some of the usual international freight companies
>(DHL springs to mind) seem to get charged the minimum fee (AUD50.00+
>years ago) irrespective of the low value of the contents of the pack.
>Then, of course, they also get hit with the other statutory taxes!
>Low value postal articles apparently often avoid all these charges
for
>reasons best known to the bureaucracy. [Probably because, if there's
>no "minimum fee" for them, then it's not worth the time and trouble
to
>collect small amounts of tax.]
>
>Of course, all this opinion is probably worth no more than you've
paid
>for it -- so get some professional advice if it's an issue relevant
to
>you.
>
>Cheers, Phred.

Phred, Hawaii is the most isolated place on earth(!) and you are
correct, we have very few coffee pests. Hardly any, so Australia is
not keeping us out for fear of pests, but more IMHO to protect their
commerce.

And Rick who posted above, you are correct about the 10% Blend junk. I
walk by in WalMart and see tourists over paying for a blend but I
don't say anything cuz it is a time issue for me. Go to town and
leave ASAP. But Rick, ***there are not any farmers, I know, who can
sell their 100% Kona for $10/pound. None. Just costs too much to
produce and then there are taxes and health insurance and mortgage
etc.... and of course fair wages for all as we are part of the US.

Farming

aloha
Thunder
smithfarms.com
Farmers of pure Kona Coffee