IS FAIR TRADE FAIR ENOUGH? IS IT THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS SUFFERED BY THE COFFEE FARMERS?
This is a very big question and there’s only space for a couple of thoughts here from both sides of the debate. Fairtrade is a good first response to this grotesque disparity of income in the coffee value chain. It seeks to mitigate the worst effects of fluctuating and falling coffee prices for farmers by guaranteeing a minimum price for the coffee producer. Making an effort to buy fair trade coffee is therefore an important first step for every consumer who wants to address the coffee crisis every time they have their beloved cup. Furthermore, it’s a transparent system which has huge benefits for the farmers who sell their coffee under the Fairtrade label. It has also done a great job of introducing to the mainstream public the notion of ‘trade’ needing to be ‘fair’. However, some people argue that the Fairtrade price has been set too low, leaving many companies paying a minimum price which is still not enough for the producers. Another concern is that fairtrade does not benefit all t
Related Questions
- Why is it that only cooperatives of small-scale coffee farmers may participate in the Fair Trade Certification model, and not coffee estates and plantations with hired workers?
- IS FAIR TRADE FAIR ENOUGH? IS IT THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS SUFFERED BY THE COFFEE FARMERS?
- What is Fair Trade Organic Coffee?
