Fair Trade News

Published Oct 7, 2005

National Fair Trade Month
Changing the World One Cup at a Time

By Ivan Velinov, Epoch Times San Francisco Staff

Can your cup of coffee or tea make the world a better place? Whether you consider small-scale farmers who pick tea leaves in Sri Lanka or those who cultivate coffee beans in Guatemala, they can be affected a great deal by our daily consumer choices.

When we buy just a cup of coffee or a bag of coffee beans at the supermarket, we unknowingly support the "free" trade of the past that is driven by profit alone. On the other hand, that creates a ripple effect where the coffee farmers in developing countries, mostly poor smallholders, sell their high-grade coffee beans for as little as 20 or 25 cents per pound.

In contrast to the farmers who sell at a loss, brand-named coffee sells at a hefty profit. But when consumers buy Fair Trade Certified coffee, it guarantees farmers a minimum price of $1.26 per pound which creates many positive effects for the growers and allows them to sustain their livelihoods.

The Fair Trade logo on the product guarantees that small farmers are paid a fair price for their crops, no children or forced labor is involved, and organic farming is practiced. The Fair Trade labeling is certified by fair-trade groups in the USA, Japan, Canada and 17 European nations.

Based in the Segovia region of northern Nicaragua, PRODECOOP is a cooperative which includes 2,318 families who remain committed to organic farming techniques and producing coffee of the highest quality.

"With Fair Trade income we have made improvements in our community. Before we slept on the ground and did not have any basic amenities. Now, some of us have floors, furniture, sanitary services, and potable water," said co-op member Alexa Maria Colindres in an interview posted on www.transfairusa.org.

To be certified, each producer is inspected every year and their products are subject to audits.

"It's more than just about a great cup of coffee," says Lloyd Gray, a spokesman for the nonprofit organization TransFair USA. "It's about sustainability and to make the world a better place. It's a win-win situation as well, because it's good for consumers and ensures a decent living for farmers."

TransFair USA, the only certifier of Fair Trade foods and drinks in the US, has declared October National Fair Trade Month. The Bay Area showcases the month-long celebration with various events such as gourmet food tastings, presentations by Fair Trade farmers, panel discussions, and movie showings.

The Fair Trade industry started in 1999 with coffee, and over the last six years, Fair Trade Certified coffee has grown more than 75% annually-with California roasters alone purchasing more than one million pounds.

National demand for quality Fair Trade Certified coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar, rice and fruit is growing daily.

For a complete list of events in the region during National Fair Trade Month and for store locations which carry Fair Trade products, please visit www.transfairusa.org.