Fairtrade from Café Pronto

What is Fairtrade?

International trade may seem a remote issue, but when commodity prices fall dramatically it has a catastrophic impact on the lives of millions of small scale producers, forcing many into crippling debt and countless others to lose their land and their homes.

Too many farmers in the developing world have to contend with fluctuating prices that may not even cover what it costs to produce their crop.

Development agencies recognised the important role that consumers could play to improve the situation for producers. By buying direct from farmers at better prices, helping to strengthen their organisations and marketing their produce directly through their own one world shops and catalogues, the charities offered consumers the opportunity to buy products which were bought on the basis of a fair trade.

Fairtrade Labelling was created in the Netherlands in the late 1980s. Max Havelaar launched the first Fairtrade consumer guarantee label in 1986 on coffee sourced from Mexico.

Today, there are now 19 organisations including the Fairtrade Foundation, that run the international standard setting and monitoring body Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO).

Producers registered with FLO receive a minimum price that covers the cost of production and an extra premium that is invested in the local community.

This international body incorporates various stakeholders including elected producer and commercial representatives. It sets standards and ensures the international regular auditing of producer and commercial partners.

Members of the FLO Board include four producer representatives selected at the bi-annual forum, two commercial partners and six national Fairtrade Initiative representatives. The marketing and promotion of Fairtrade products remain the responsibility of the individual national initiatives.

In September 2004 there were 422 Fairtrade certified producer groups (including many umbrella bodies) in 49 producer countries selling to hundreds of Fairtrade registered importers, licensees and retailers in 19 countries.

FLO contact details

Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO)
Kaiser Friedrich Strasse 13
D 53113 Bonn
Germany

Tel: +49 228 949 2311
Fax: +49 228 242 1713
E-mail: info@fairtrade.net
Web site: www.fairtrade.net

Market Growth

Sales across the 18 countries that license the FAIRTRADE Mark are growing at around 20% every year.

In the majority of these countries, Fairtrade products are now mainstream products available in major supermarkets and independent shops and are beginning to gain market shares. For example (in Switzerland) Fairtrade bananas account for one in every 5 bananas sold.

For further information on Vending machines with Fairtrade products available from Café Pronto, click here.

For further information on Fairtrade, please visit their website by clicking here.