Group eyes more Filipino products with Fairtrade mark

FAIRTRADE Philippines has launched a marketing organization to focus on promoting and selling goods carrying the Fairtrade mark.

This is aimed at increasing the number of Fairtrade products made by the Philippines and encouraging more small farmers to produce Fairtrade crops and products, said Fairtrade Philippines president Alejandro Florian Alcantara.

Alcantara said that out of the estimated 30,000 Fairtrade products sold internationally, less than one percent comes from the Philippines. The group wants to increase this to 500.

Only three supermarkets are currently selling Fairtrade products in the Philippines today, namely SM, Metro and Rustans. Majority of products on the shelves are imported.

Similarly, only very few farmer cooperatives are currently partnered with Fairtrade.

“At present, we only have three member cooperatives — Dama Farm Workers Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization, which produces cane sugar; Nakalang Padilla Workers Association, also cane sugar; and Fairtrade Farmers Credit Cooperative, which produces oil seeds and coconut,” Alcantara said.

By 2020, the organization hopes to increase the number of small farmers organizations to 33, number of Fairtrade certified traders to 32 and number of supermarkets to 30.

He said they were selectively screening interested businesses in the food manufacturing and processing industries that would like to join the movement.

Nine existing businesses have already been accepted by Fairtrade, including DOLE Philippines in Cotabato City, Prime Fruits in Davao City, Profoods and M Llhuillier Food Products in Cebu City, as well as several coconut producers.

These businesses will be able to help farmers under their networks of suppliers form cooperatives or associations accredited by Fairtrade.

“When the farmers organizations are already ready and are certified with Fairtrade, their products are immediately absorbed and sold to domestic and international markets,” he said.

As accredited members of Fairtrade Philippines, farmers will be paid a minimum fee of the product sold, and the association or cooperative they are a member of also gets the Fairtrade premium fee, which is 15 percent of the total price of the product.

This helps not only the farmers, who get to earn more from their produce, but the communities they are in as well.

Fairtrade’s mission also includes increasing consumer awareness about their products.

Andrea Richert, Fairtrade International new markets manager, said certifying farmers requires time, effort and capacity before they can be accredited to the organization.

“All need to work together to develop the products, sell them both locally and internationally, and integrate farmers into the organization,” she said.