You have probably already heard of fair trade coffee, but you may be wondering why you should support this movement. Well, it all began due to the fact that farmers were being forced to sell their coffee at very low prices. They had to sell in order to be able to make more coffee and keep their families fed, but they were only getting very low offers for their goods. Not only was this negatively impacting the lives of farmers and their families, but it was also having a negative effect on the quality of coffee being produced.
Fair trade gives famers a guaranteed minimum price for their goods. This amount remains the same regardless of supply and demand. In addition to that, the farmers are also able to make long term business relationships. This is because of the fact that a contract of 1-10 years must be signed by both parties in any fair trade agreement. This is positive in several ways. First of all, the farmers are able to find some stability in knowing that they will be getting business from that buyer for an extended period of time. In addition to that, the farmers are now able to become eligible for credit through the buyer’s home country.
Farmers work very hard on a daily basis to produce the coffee that we drink. This is their livelihood, and without it they cannot support their families. Many families of farmers have been living in severe poverty due to the fact that they have not been able to fetch a fair price for their goods. This is why the fair trade movement has become so important.
The consumer also stands to benefit from fair trade coffee. When the farmers are able to get more money for their crops it enables them to put some money back into their farming practices. This only leads to higher quality coffee for you to drink.
It used to be that you had to really search to be able to find fair trade coffee to purchase. However, this is no longer the case. This movement has been steadily increasing in popularity, so fair trade coffee is now in high demand. Many companies have taken notice of this high demand and they are now taking part in fair trade practices worldwide. This means that fair trade coffee is now easily accessible to the consumers who want to support the movement.
As a matter of fact, it has become very easy to find this kind of coffee online, and in many cases you can get certified fair trade coffee at very competitive prices. When you purchase this kind of coffee, you are not only getting a higher quality product, but you can also take comfort in knowing that the family of the farmer is benefitting from your purchase. For the good of the coffee industry as a whole, it is a much better decision to make sure that the coffee that you purchase has been certified as fair trade coffee.
Coastal Roasters is a micro-roaster of specialty organic and fair trade coffees from around the world. Their online store offers Coffee Gift and a Coffee of the Month Club featuring their award winning roasts.
Oxfam Fair Trade Clips
Seattle’s Best Coffee Organic Fair Trade Ground Coffee. Level 4 12 oz (340 g)
Marques Fair trade French Roast Bean Coffee 2.5lb bag coffe beans
Green Mountain Colombian Fair Trade Select K-Cup® 24 count
