Edinburgh is a Fairtrade city, Balerno a Fairtrade village and our congregation a Fairtrade church but did you know that in the last twenty years, FT bananas sold in the UK alone would have stretched round the earth a hundred times, or to the moon and back six times. Our local Scotmids (and several supermarkets) are a reliable source of FT bananas, right on our doorsteps.
How does FT work for banana producers?
Producers receive a fair and guaranteed price for the bananas and their communities recieve a premium to be used for the benefit of the community. The community decides how to use the ‘community premium’: for child education, health investment, training, a vital piece of community equipment, etc. FT also builds in scrupulous protection of child rights, health/sanitation needs, and – increasing at a pace – planet-friendly production methods.
But progress can’t be taken for granted. Right now, post-Brexit confusion is affecting Ghanaian banana traders. The governments of Ghana and the UK were expected to sign a trade agreement that would in effect ‘roll over’ the tariff free trade on 1st Janauary, this didn’t happen and instead importers are now facing tariffs of £95 a tonne. To find out more click on The Scottish Fair Trade Forum.