DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post

**milfovoxapl** · 09-01-2012, 12:47 PM

The principle is simple: buy produce directly from the small producers to avoid that a big part of their profit be taken by middlemen.

As far as i understand it, the idea behind "fair trade" is that the farmers get a decent wage, have better working conditions, don't use child labour etc. So the poor lady who picked your bananas in Panama is better paid, and that is the main reason why fair trade products are more expensive. So European importers for instance, won't just buy the cheapest bananas they can find (as you said) in South America, but only from producers who pay their workers and farmers well.

That's how I understand "fair trade", but maybe I'm wrong.

1) flying roses all the way from Ecuador to sell them in Europe at roughly the same price as those produced in Europe (because of the transportation cost) only worsen global warming. I guess it's ok for bananas and cocoa beans because they can't be grown in temperate climates. But flowers !?

Buying "climate friendly" products is actually more complicated than that.

In many cases, local products worsen global warming MORE than imported ones. For instance, in Denmark, it's better to buy Spanish tomatoes than Danish. The reason is that Danish (and other Northern European) tomatoes are grown in greenhouses which are heated most of the year. Obviously, this requires a lot of energy, so buying tomatoes transported from Spain on a truck is actually better for the climate. The same is true for cucumbers, peppers etc.

2) I can't agree with a "faire trade" label that penalises local producers in Europe. Carrefour now sells fair trade flowers from South America when they could buy them from French (or other European) flower growers. That is outrageously not fair trade, because these big chains have actual power to seriously damage the European production by turning their back on their own country.

Oh no, protectionism

If people think that South Americans flowers are better or more beautiful than French ones, let them buy those! Personally, I support free trade both inside and outside the EU, and for example, I don't care if the apples I buy are from Denmark or Argentina. If the Argentinian apples taste better, I will buy them.

Trading with third world countries is the best way we can help them, and protectionism is always a BAD idea (the EU agricultural subsidies are a disgrace

)

09-01-2012, 12:47 PM	#2
milfovoxapl Join Date Dec 2005 Posts 563 Senior Member	The principle is simple: buy produce directly from the small producers to avoid that a big part of their profit be taken by middlemen. As far as i understand it, the idea behind "fair trade" is that the farmers get a decent wage, have better working conditions, don't use child labour etc. So the poor lady who picked your bananas in Panama is better paid, and that is the main reason why fair trade products are more expensive. So European importers for instance, won't just buy the cheapest bananas they can find (as you said) in South America, but only from producers who pay their workers and farmers well. That's how I understand "fair trade", but maybe I'm wrong. 1) flying roses all the way from Ecuador to sell them in Europe at roughly the same price as those produced in Europe (because of the transportation cost) only worsen global warming. I guess it's ok for bananas and cocoa beans because they can't be grown in temperate climates. But flowers !? Buying "climate friendly" products is actually more complicated than that. In many cases, local products worsen global warming MORE than imported ones. For instance, in Denmark, it's better to buy Spanish tomatoes than Danish. The reason is that Danish (and other Northern European) tomatoes are grown in greenhouses which are heated most of the year. Obviously, this requires a lot of energy, so buying tomatoes transported from Spain on a truck is actually better for the climate. The same is true for cucumbers, peppers etc. 2) I can't agree with a "faire trade" label that penalises local producers in Europe. Carrefour now sells fair trade flowers from South America when they could buy them from French (or other European) flower growers. That is outrageously not fair trade, because these big chains have actual power to seriously damage the European production by turning their back on their own country. Oh no, protectionism If people think that South Americans flowers are better or more beautiful than French ones, let them buy those! Personally, I support free trade both inside and outside the EU, and for example, I don't care if the apples I buy are from Denmark or Argentina. If the Argentinian apples taste better, I will buy them. Trading with third world countries is the best way we can help them, and protectionism is always a BAD idea (the EU agricultural subsidies are a disgrace )
	Quote