Fairtrade fortnight

February 25th, 2014 | International News

Fairtrade‘Fairtrade Fortnight’ runs from 24th February until 9th March – but what exactly is the meaning of Fairtrade? A definition from the official website says “Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world”. A very reasonable premise that deserves our full support. Of course no one, in any country, wants to see workers being exploited, especially when they have no means of fair representation or redress, but I still can’t help but think that the fair trade concept should apply globally, and not only in developing nations. For example, even here, in the so-called mature western economies, farmers and their workers at the very sharp end of our supply chains are still sometimes exploited. We hear stories of dairy farmers being forced to the brink of bankruptcy by having their milk prices continually squeezed by large retail chains – surely this should not be considered as a fair way to do our trade?

Here in the Rias Baixas wine denomination we are always very conscious of our obligation to pay grape growers a fair price, enough to cover their costs and to provide them with a decent living. Unfortunately, during a period of deep recession, we continuously face strong downward pressure on our prices, and inevitably it becomes a fight for survival at almost every level of the supply chain. In the last couple of years I think I am correct in saying that our denomination has lost as many as 40 or 50 of the original 200 wine cellars. Some might say that this is a form of ‘natural selection’ where only the strong have survived, but the sad fact is that there are still many honest, hard-working Galicians (perhaps grape suppliers to the failed bodegas), who will now be struggling to make ends meet. We are also hearing tales of some grape suppliers that are being paid two or three vintages in arrears, or perhaps not at all – hardly an example of ‘fair trade’.

So when we are asked, or even expected to lower our prices in order to compete, then unfortunately, we run the risk of this knock-on effect. Everyone, at every level is being squeezed. Please don’t get me wrong, at Castro Martin we wholeheartedly support the concept of Fairtrade, but I am simply asking the question – where and when does fair trade begin, and at what border does it (or should it) end? 

Fairtrade‘Fairtrade Fortnight’ runs from 24th February until 9th March – but what exactly is the meaning of Fairtrade? A definition from the official website says “Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world”. A very reasonable premise that deserves our full support. Of course no one, in any country, wants to see workers being exploited, especially when they have no means of fair representation or redress, but I still can’t help but think that the fair trade concept should apply globally, and not only in developing nations. For example, even here, in the so-called mature western economies, farmers and their workers at the very sharp end of our supply chains are still sometimes exploited. We hear stories of dairy farmers being forced to the brink of bankruptcy by having their milk prices continually squeezed by large retail chains – surely this should not be considered as a fair way to do our trade?

Here in the Rias Baixas wine denomination we are always very conscious of our obligation to pay grape growers a fair price, enough to cover their costs and to provide them with a decent living. Unfortunately, during a period of deep recession, we continuously face strong downward pressure on our prices, and inevitably it becomes a fight for survival at almost every level of the supply chain. In the last couple of years I think I am correct in saying that our denomination has lost as many as 40 or 50 of the original 200 wine cellars. Some might say that this is a form of ‘natural selection’ where only the strong have survived, but the sad fact is that there are still many honest, hard-working Galicians (perhaps grape suppliers to the failed bodegas), who will now be struggling to make ends meet. We are also hearing tales of some grape suppliers that are being paid two or three vintages in arrears, or perhaps not at all – hardly an example of ‘fair trade’.

So when we are asked, or even expected to lower our prices in order to compete, then unfortunately, we run the risk of this knock-on effect. Everyone, at every level is being squeezed. Please don’t get me wrong, at Castro Martin we wholeheartedly support the concept of Fairtrade, but I am simply asking the question – where and when does fair trade begin, and at what border does it (or should it) end? 

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