Fair trade fortnight a chance to make a difference
Monday 30 April 2007, 9:52AM
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Russel Norman, Green Party Co-Leader Credit:
NZ Green Party
The Green Party is welcoming the launch of the Fair Trade Fortnight (28th April – 13th May) to promote fairly traded products that make a positive contribution to the communities in developing countries that produce them.
“Fair trade offers an opportunity for communities in developing countries to sell their products at a fair and stable price providing decent wages and working conditions while protecting the environment,†says Russel Norman, Green Co-Leader and Trade Spokesperson.
“The ‘free’ trade model, as opposed to fair trade, tends to result in a race to the bottom for wages, conditions and environmental standards, as we have experienced recently in New Zealand with manufacturers moving overseas, in part following cheaper wages.
“The idea of fair trade products is that consumers in countries like New Zealand purchase fair trade products knowing that the communities producing the goods are receiving a stable price that enables them to invest in the health and education of their communities. It also means that those producers commit to not using forced labour.
“Life for many coffee, cocoa, sugar and tea producers around the world is made extremely difficult by low and volatile commodity prices and fair trade offers them some stability.
“It would bring enormous pleasure to the late Rod Donald, former Green Co-Leader and former New Zealand Manager for Trade Aid Importers, to see how fair trade has grown over the last few years. The value of fair trade labelled products sold in New Zealand has increased from $200,000 in 2004 to $4m in 2006.
“The Greens congratulate the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand, with the support of NZAID, Trade Aid and Oxfam, for putting on Fair Trade Fortnight and hope many New Zealanders take the opportunity to find out about an easy way to help make the world a better place by buying fairly traded products.
For more info: www.fairtrade.org.nz
“Fair trade offers an opportunity for communities in developing countries to sell their products at a fair and stable price providing decent wages and working conditions while protecting the environment,†says Russel Norman, Green Co-Leader and Trade Spokesperson.
“The ‘free’ trade model, as opposed to fair trade, tends to result in a race to the bottom for wages, conditions and environmental standards, as we have experienced recently in New Zealand with manufacturers moving overseas, in part following cheaper wages.
“The idea of fair trade products is that consumers in countries like New Zealand purchase fair trade products knowing that the communities producing the goods are receiving a stable price that enables them to invest in the health and education of their communities. It also means that those producers commit to not using forced labour.
“Life for many coffee, cocoa, sugar and tea producers around the world is made extremely difficult by low and volatile commodity prices and fair trade offers them some stability.
“It would bring enormous pleasure to the late Rod Donald, former Green Co-Leader and former New Zealand Manager for Trade Aid Importers, to see how fair trade has grown over the last few years. The value of fair trade labelled products sold in New Zealand has increased from $200,000 in 2004 to $4m in 2006.
“The Greens congratulate the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand, with the support of NZAID, Trade Aid and Oxfam, for putting on Fair Trade Fortnight and hope many New Zealanders take the opportunity to find out about an easy way to help make the world a better place by buying fairly traded products.
For more info: www.fairtrade.org.nz