Go Bananas for Fairtrade and help make a big change this Fair Trade Fortnight

Fair Trade Fortnight, New Zealand’s biggest annual celebration of all things fair trade, is on again from 2 – 17 May 2009.

Fair Trade Fortnight highlights how every New Zealander can help tackle poverty and empower producers in developing countries, simply by supporting fair trade and choosing products that carry the Fairtrade Label.

During this year’s Fortnight, the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand (FTAANZ) is urging New Zealand shoppers to Go Bananas for Fairtrade and be part of the campaign to make one of the country’s favourite fruits fairer.

FTAANZ Executive Director Steve Knapp said Kiwis were the world’s largest consumers of bananas per capita but the majority of the bananas they consumed came from plantations whose workers did not even earn enough to live or support their families, with some earning less than NZ$3 a day.

“Banana farmers are struggling to cover the costs of production while trying to compete with large-scale plantations owned by a small number of multinational companies who dominate the global banana trade,” he said.

Mr Knapp said that through the Go Bananas campaign, every Kiwi could help change the lives of these farmers, their workers and families, just by asking their local supermarket to stock Fairtrade Bananas.

“Supermarkets in countries across the world have already shown their support for these farmers and workers by stocking Fairtrade Certified bananas – in fact many are now only selling 100% Fairtrade bananas due to customer demand,” he said.

“Kiwi shoppers are no different – they want to make sure they can buy one of their favourite fruits from sustainable sources that consider working conditions, fair pay and the non-use of harmful pesticides as basic rights for farmers and workers.

“The Fairtrade system makes a world of difference for Banana farmers because it means they get guaranteed fair prices for their product as well as additional investment for community development,” he said.

Mr Knapp said the Fairtrade bananas would add to the strong and growing demand New Zealand shoppers had shown for Fairtrade goods since the first Fairtrade product went on sale in the country in 2004.

“Last year alone, Kiwis bought over NZ$10.5 million worth of the Fairtrade Certified and Labelled products including coffee, tea and chocolate - up more than 50% from 2007,” he said.

“Every dollar New Zealand shoppers spend on Fairtrade products is a vote for a better future for developing country producers and their families,” he said.

“It means they can send their kids to school, build roads, and access better health care – all things we take for granted in New Zealand every day.

‘It also means they can grow and develop their business, ensuring they can improve life for their family well into the future,” he said.
Mr Knapp said Fair Trade Fortnight was also an opportunity for New Zealanders to further discover the range and quality of fair trade and Fairtrade Labelled products available through the many Fair Trade fiestas, markets, product tastings and other events happening across the country.
Fair Trade Fortnight also coincides with World Fair Trade Day (WFTD) on Saturday, 9 May 2009 – a global celebration of the change fair trade is making in tackling poverty for developing country producers and their families. For more on WFTD 2009 visit www.worldfairtradeday09.org

For more information on Fair Trade Fortnight 2009 events and activities, a Fairtrade Media Breifing Kit as well as where to buy Fairtrade and the real difference it makes for producers in the developing world, simply visit www.fairtrade.org.nz/ftf09.

To take part in the Go Bananas for Fairtrade campaign go to www.checkoutfairtrade.org.nz.

Make it Happen. Choose Fairtrade.

ENDS

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FAIRTRADE FACT SHEET

What is fair trade?
Fair trade is an alternative approach to conventional international trade, which aims to share the benefits of trade more equitably between consumers, producers and the environment. Through fair trade, farmers are paid a fair and stable price for their produce so they are protected from the damaging fluctuations in world market prices. In addition, their community receives a social premium to invest in local development projects such as education and healthcare. Workers are also paid a fair wage, and the use of forced labour and abusive child labour is prohibited.

Why is fair trade important?
Poverty is widespread amongst tea, coffee and cocoa growers around the world, who face an uncertain future due to unstable world prices. In recent years, volatile prices worldwide have left many disadvantaged producers struggling to support themselves and their families.

What does fair trade promise?
A better deal for producers in the developing world through:
• A fair and stable price for their produce
• Security of long term contracts
• Investment in local community development
• Improved working conditions
• Environmentally sustainable farming methods
• Support in gaining the knowledge and skills needed to operate successfully in the global economy

The Fairtrade difference
Today, more than seven and a half million people – farmers, workers and their families – across 58 developing countries benefit from the international Fairtrade system. Retail sales of Fairtrade Labelled products in Australia & New Zealand have passed NZ$87.5 million in total, over the 5 years since the first Fairtrade products were sold (September 2003). There was more than NZ$40 million in retail sales of Fairtrade Certified products in the 2008 calendar year in Australia & New Zealand compared to NZ$22.5 million in 2007.

The FAIRTRADE Label is a certification mark and a registered trademark of Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) of which Fairtrade Labelling Australia & New Zealand (FLANZ) is the regional member. FLANZ is the independent licensing and certification body for the FAIRTRADE Label in Australia and New Zealand. The Fairtrade Label is a “seal of approval” that appears on products that meet internationally agreed Fairtrade standards and which promises to consumers that their purchase of a particular product will benefit the producers, their families and the surrounding communities from the developing countries that they originate from. Consumers can be assured of the benefits flowing from their purchase of products bearing the Fairtrade Label because there is a monitoring and auditing system behind that label that applies to all participants in the supply chain of the product. This includes Fairtrade Certified producers (who comply with Fairtrade standards), Fai
rtrade registered importers (who pay a Fairtrade premium, in addition to minimum prices, that supports social, economic and environmental development) and Fairtrade licensees (who a licensed to apply the Fairtrade label to packaged products and sell them in to the market).