Fair trade welcomed in Wealden
Wealden District Council is looking at ways of improving the lot of farmers and workers in developing countries by supporting the Fairtrade movement.
At last week’s meeting of full Council, members agreed to support the Fairtrade movement whereby producers of food and goods in those countries are paid a price which allows them to guarantee certain conditions for workers, their community and the environment.
Growers of bananas, coffee and cocoa beans and other basic crops in developing countries face bankruptcy and starvation when world prices drop below sustainable levels or when international commodity prices fluctuate wildly.
The Council is now looking at providing staff and visitors to the District Council premises with the opportunity to choose Fairtrade food and drink, if they wish. It also wants to encourage greater awareness of the Fairtrade Mark and the principles and practicalities of fair trade in the district.
“Fair trade is all about a willingness to enter into a trading relationship that is just and respectful between buyer and seller. It is a stand against poverty and power imbalance,” explained Councillor Mrs Rowena Moore, whose proposal has prompted the review. Seconding the motion, Councillor Mrs Ivy Scarborough added that if staff and members at the Council began buying Fairtrade goods, it would be a start towards influencing the spending patterns of the people in Wealden which could have a real impact on the lives of subsistence farmers around the world.
The Council applauded the recent achievement of Uckfield in becoming a Fairtrade Town.
On the subject of food, Councillors also raised concerns about the situation faced by farmers in Wealden and the growing reliance on air miles to bring food into the district. Alongside support for fair trade for international goods like coffee, councillors voiced their support for local producers for those goods that can be easily produced in Wealden.
The Leader of Wealden District Council, Councillor Nigel Coltman welcomed support for Fairtrade goods.
“We should try to encourage the people of Wealden that this is the right thing to do.”
There are now more than 850 products which can be bought under the Fairtrade status. These include bananas, cocoa, coffee, cotton, dried fruit, fresh fruit and vegetables, honey, juices, nuts, oil, seeds and purees, rice, spices, sugar, tea, wine, cut flowers, ornamental plants and sports balls.
Note to Editors:
The Fairtrade Foundation is supported by a number of charities including Christian Aid, Oxfam and Cafod, and the Women’s Institute. It seeks to promote fair trade though the Fairtrade Mark (attached). This label can only be used where internationally-agreed criteria are met, based on the stipulation that producers involved receive a minimum price that covers the cost of production and an extra premium that is invested in the local community.
The Fairtrade Mark may also be used on products for which more than 50 per cent of ingredients, by dry weight, are sourced from Fairtrade-certified producer organisations.
