Fair Trade Products Essay

Buying white craft Products means buying a better coming(prenominal) for e preciseone. plot of ground a transfuse of umber may cost around $2. 00, little than $0. 50 goes to the farmers who planted, cultivated and harvested the beans that were ground to shape that cup of drinking chocolate. $2. 00 is a cup of coffee for you and me but to the farmers in South America, $2. 00 whoremonger make the dissimilarity between how numerous meals the farmer and his family can eat. Buying beautiful transaction products ensures that Jose and his children can progress to 3 squ atomic number 18 meals a day.Coffee farmers around the world earn less than the cost of producing that single cup of coffee and because of this inequality they atomic number 18 forced into a cycle of poverty and debt (Fridell, 2003). stock-still when the price of coffee increases in the world market, the coffee farmers are non the ones who benefit from this but the exploitative business men and middle men. The so far more distressing fact is that this isnt limited to coffee completely but also to other commodities such as tea, chocolate, cocoa, bananas, mangoes, grapes, apples and crafts. Nicholls, 2004). Support for unclouded Trade Products means that these farmers are not forced in a cycle of poverty and debt. beauteous Trade means that these farmers actually have a chance at getting a better future because white Trade provides funding, in the form of loans, and also provides technical develop and education to these farmers. Yes I want to help, but what is attractive Trade? reliable Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, enhancer and respect, that seeks great equity in international divvy up.It contributes to sustainable development by pass better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers especially in the South. beauteous Trade organizations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in have goting producers, a wareness ski lift and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international craftsmanship (European fairly Trade Association). What comme il faut Trade basically does is that ensures that the hard workings farmers who grow these products are rewarded for their hard work and reserven the opportunity to name better futures for themselves and earn a ticket out of poverty.How can I make sure these Farmers get the benefits? With most of the countries pushing for free trade, the bit of these farmers will only get worse. Companies in search of lower expenses and higher(prenominal) profits will always look for the cheapest source even if it is at the expense of others. Supporting Fair Trade Products ensures that the farmers are able to pull out the benefits of their hard work because producers who are part of Fair Trade are able to gain entrance fee to technical assistance and education as well as funding to encourage the growth of their farms and to i mprove the qualification in production (Fridell, 2003).Global Impact of Fair Trade Fair Trade works. A study conducted by Loraine Ronchi of the Poverty Research building block at the University of Sussex in 2002 shows that in light of the coffee crisis of the early 1990s, light trade can be said to have accomplished its terminal of improving the returns to small producers and positively affecting their quality of life and the wellness of the organizations that represent them locally, nationally and beyond (Ronchi, 2002).In seven case studies conducted by the Fair Trade Research Group at Colorado raise University in 2003, it was shown that Fair Trade has in a short quantify greatly improved the well- beingness of small-scale coffee farmers and their families(Murray, 2003) . These studies found that in that respect was greater access to credit and external development funding, greater access to training and enhanced ability to improve the quality of their coffee for producers below Fair Trade.Fair Trade certification guarantees not only fair prices, but also the principles of ethical purchasing, making sure that there are no labor violations by the companies and that there is a greater transparency throughout the supply chain (Ransom, 2001). There is no doubt that Fair Trade presents a viable solution to much of the worlds development problems and that go on support for Fair Trade products will transform the world into a better place for everyone to live in.Arguments against Fair Trade Those who argue that Fair Trade doesnt work insist that Fair Trade undecomposed encourages inefficiency and makes these farmers dependent on subsidies that are given to them while those who are ripe and efficient are left field to their own devises and even penalized (Redfern, 2002). This is a very myopic view of the problem because it assumes that everyone deals honestly and that the middle men do not take advantage of the producers.World Statistics show that during th e period from 1970 to 2000, prices for umpteen of the main agricultural exports of developing countries, such as sugar, cotton, cocoa and coffee fell by 30 to 60 percent (Agricultural Commodity Chains, dependency and Poverty, 2004). This was delinquent to the fact that there was no market intervention and the prices were left to the determination of market forces. The situation has only greatly improved due to the intervention done by Fair Trade as it has helped recruit many ailing industries by spearheading the development of these industries through direct support of producers under Free Trade (Murray, 2003).It cannot therefore be argued that Fair Trade results in inefficiency in the production of these products. The argument of inefficiency is also weakened by a study conducted in 2005 on Bolivian Coffee Fair Trade Producers as it was shown that certification led to a positive strike on local coffee prices in Yungas not just on Fair Trade certified products but on all produc ts as well (Eberhart, 2005). Yes, you. Even a student can make a difference in the world For every single flummox of coffee purchased, Fair Trade ensures that the farmer gets a more substantial marrow than he normally would without the benefit of Fair Trade.The extra $0. 50 that the farmer gets per pound of coffee that he sells goes a long way in a developing economy. Add to this the fact that by promoting and encouraging Fair Trade the farmer is able to secure loans and get much needed technical assistance and education, that single cup of coffee you purchase or that pound of coffee you buy, allows the farmer who planted, cultivated and harvested those grains to buy an extra pound of rice or corn and maybe even an extra meal. more than Fair Trade Products on Campus If a single student can make a difference, then a whole campus can make a world of difference.There should be more support for Fair Trade Products. Coffee is not the only product that is currently being protected by Fair Trade. There are currently many other goods that are being protected by fair trade tea, chocolate, cocoa, bananas, mangoes, grapes, apples, soccer balls, and crafts. The next time you go out and buy yourself a cup of coffee or decide to munch on an apple before class, remember that you can make a difference, you can give Jose and his family a better and brighter future. Remember Fair Trade.