WHAT IS FAIR TRADE?

The FAIRTRADE Mark is an independent consumer label which appears on products as an independent guarantee that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal.

Why is it Necessary?

The problems experienced by poor producers and workers in developing countries differ greatly. The majority of coffee and cocoa, for example, is grown by independent small farmers, working their own land and marketing their produce through a local co-operative. For these producers, receiving a fair price for their beans is more important than any other aspect of a fair trade. Most tea, however, is grown on estates. The concern for workers employed on tea plantations is fair wages and decent working conditions.

Process requirements also encourage producer organisations to continuously improve working conditions and product quality, to increase their environmental stability of their activities and to invest in the development of their organisations and the welfare of their producers/workers.

What do Fair Trade Standards Stipulate?

Traders must:

Pay a price to producers  that covers the costs of sustainable production and living;

Pay a 'premium' that producers can invest in development;

Make partial advance payments when requested by producers; 

Sign contracts that allow for long-term planning and sustainable production practices. 


Useful Links

To learn more about Fair Trade, visit the Fair Trade website: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/
 
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