NZ to help grow Fairtrade business in Pacific

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced $4.56 million in new funding for Fairtrade ANZ (Australia and New Zealand) to help unlock the export potential of small-holder farms in Pacific agriculture.

“There is scope for the producers of niche products in the Pacific to make a significant contribution to export earnings and employment,” Mr McCully says.

“As the Pacific Showcase at last year’s Pacific Islands Forum demonstrated, there is real demand for high-end Pacific products. Top-quality cocoa, coffee and vanilla are excellent examples.

“Gaining Fairtrade certification will help position Pacific growers and producers up the value chain by assuring consumers that the products they are buying are contributing to the sustainable economic development of the region.

“New Zealand’s funding for Fairtrade ANZ will help producers get their products certified, develop marketing opportunities, link farmer groups to buyers, and raise consumer awareness here in New Zealand.

“Fairtrade requires companies to pay fair and stable prices, advocates for more reasonable terms of trade for farmers and strengthens communities,” Mr McCully says.