MAURITIUS: Agriculture:
Fair trade takes Mauritian farmers by storm

6/22/2012 8:23:33 AM
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MAURITIUS - Mauritian farmers have begun farming in a more environmentally sustainable way. This is because a large number of farmers on this Indian Ocean Island have become fair trade certified. - Fair trade is a social movement that promotes just terms for farmers and workers and encourages sustainability in the developing world. Products labelled as fair trade generally sell well in Europe and the United States because they meet agreed international environmental, labour and developmental standards. There are some 3,000 products that fall under the label, including sugar, coffee, spices, vanilla and bananas. Consumers willingly pay more for fair trade products. But not everyone is keen to be fair trade certified. In the south of the island, members of the Southern Planters Association (SPA) are reluctant to join the movement. These members do not believe farmers will benefit from the fair trade concept after they pay audit fees of between 1,000 to 3,500 dollars annually even though government is currently subsidising the fees. (END/RADIO BULLETIN EDITOR/2012)

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