As many of you know I am a strong advocate of Fairtrade. Mum, and presumably dad, were some of the faithful few who endured grotty coffee in the early days because it was ethically much better than the tastier 'slave-labour-made' alternatives.
I don't like coffee, so I can't comment on fairtrade coffee nowadays, but I am assuming it is heaps better, because it sells so well, and holds it own amongst the big name brands. However, there are plenty of other items that I do get fair-trade, mainly through Traidcraft, as it's so much quicker than seeking them out in the shops.
I must confess though that the whole principle behind fair-trade doesn't get thought about very often - on-line shopping for the FT items is just what I do when certain stocks get low, because i like the items and i like the convenience - thoughts about the bigger aspects of trade injustice etc don't pop up so much as they did.
But yesterday that changed when a campaign leaflet from Traidcraft came through the post which focusses on cashew nuts. As a cashew nut lover, I gave it a quick glance, and then a longer look, as I was reminded about just what a major difference it really does make buying fairtrade items.
Cashew nuts are not cheap - a 200g bag is about £2.50 in a UK supermarket. And I know I shouldn't be surprised, cos I've read it all before for different products, but the reality of how that £2.50 is split up is just so unjust:
the farmer gets £0.54
the guy who does the drying and trading of the cashews before processing gets £0.07
the Indian factory (de-shelling, peeling, grading and packing) gets £0.40
the individual cashew factory worker gets £0.03
the European importer (roasting and packing) gets £0.43
the EU supermarket gets £1.03
and it's not just the financial side of things that is unjust - health risks for cashew workers include damage to eyesight through consistent exposure to dust, chest infections due to poor working conditions, blisters to the hands through the acidic nature of the cashew shells that burns the hands, fertility problems and UTI's, headaches and nausea due to the acrid smoke released on roasting, backache, aching joints, arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure due to the cramped crouching position of work. No NHS for these guys, or girls, as most of them are. No sick pay if they can't get in to work.
The leaflet from Traidcraft highlights the awful working conditions that are endured by producers of non-FT goods, and uncomfortable a thought as it is, when we choose to buy the non-FT option we are supporting that exploitation of workers. I know there aren't FT options for everything, but where we are privileged to have the choice, we also have the responsibility that goes with it. A responsibility to honour others in this world as equally worthy of fair pay, fair working conditions and a fair crack at life.
Sorry if this has been a bit campaign-y or activist-y, but as you can tell the story of the cashew workers really struck home and reminded me just how important it is to make the right choices, and just how a simple thing like which packet of cashews we choose can make a world of difference to others.
I don't like coffee, so I can't comment on fairtrade coffee nowadays, but I am assuming it is heaps better, because it sells so well, and holds it own amongst the big name brands. However, there are plenty of other items that I do get fair-trade, mainly through Traidcraft, as it's so much quicker than seeking them out in the shops.
I must confess though that the whole principle behind fair-trade doesn't get thought about very often - on-line shopping for the FT items is just what I do when certain stocks get low, because i like the items and i like the convenience - thoughts about the bigger aspects of trade injustice etc don't pop up so much as they did.
But yesterday that changed when a campaign leaflet from Traidcraft came through the post which focusses on cashew nuts. As a cashew nut lover, I gave it a quick glance, and then a longer look, as I was reminded about just what a major difference it really does make buying fairtrade items.
Cashew nuts are not cheap - a 200g bag is about £2.50 in a UK supermarket. And I know I shouldn't be surprised, cos I've read it all before for different products, but the reality of how that £2.50 is split up is just so unjust:
the farmer gets £0.54
the guy who does the drying and trading of the cashews before processing gets £0.07
the Indian factory (de-shelling, peeling, grading and packing) gets £0.40
the individual cashew factory worker gets £0.03
the European importer (roasting and packing) gets £0.43
the EU supermarket gets £1.03
and it's not just the financial side of things that is unjust - health risks for cashew workers include damage to eyesight through consistent exposure to dust, chest infections due to poor working conditions, blisters to the hands through the acidic nature of the cashew shells that burns the hands, fertility problems and UTI's, headaches and nausea due to the acrid smoke released on roasting, backache, aching joints, arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure due to the cramped crouching position of work. No NHS for these guys, or girls, as most of them are. No sick pay if they can't get in to work.
The leaflet from Traidcraft highlights the awful working conditions that are endured by producers of non-FT goods, and uncomfortable a thought as it is, when we choose to buy the non-FT option we are supporting that exploitation of workers. I know there aren't FT options for everything, but where we are privileged to have the choice, we also have the responsibility that goes with it. A responsibility to honour others in this world as equally worthy of fair pay, fair working conditions and a fair crack at life.
Sorry if this has been a bit campaign-y or activist-y, but as you can tell the story of the cashew workers really struck home and reminded me just how important it is to make the right choices, and just how a simple thing like which packet of cashews we choose can make a world of difference to others.
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