Ok there’s a lot to cover here sorry its directed at you Scott but you’ve directed them at my article.
The price to my knowledge has only gone over once, I used to think the whole thing was a farce.
There have been numerous price spikes above the current FT price; they tend not to stay high for too long because such levels always attract vast new plantings. But for the farmer they watch the market like hawks and its no farce to them. Its happened certainly more than one occasion. I Think the important part here is its very volatile market.
http://www.ico.org/prices/p2.htmAlso worth noting that even though prices went above the Fair trade rate on that occasion, there were others who had pre negotiated deals at lower than fair trade rates and they were still held to contract.
And a whole lot more were not honored and not completed, a lot of farmers went back to negotiate price and many outstanding contract were not honored. It was a mini crisis for many fair trade improters. There were reports of coffee being stolen from ports waiting to be loaded, crops being shorter than expected (when in reality that wasn’t true) and the general loyalty to the contracts were tested.
But the thing is with the 'big four' and the others following shortly behind them, is they take so much volume that the buyers, as with anything you buy anywhere in the world, demand a lower price.
And that’s the problem when a price drops below what it’s economical for it to be grown. You can’t go lower than what it costs to grow, but often this is the case with the big roasters.
That is where the word fair comes into its own.
Not for me it doesn’t nothing fair about a big corporation taking advantage of a small producer, that’s just bullying. If a farmer has no other route to market because of their circumstances it’s a monopoly.
There are other aspects to fair trade that make it worth having, like helping to save local resources and education.
But is this the realm of the coffee market, I think that is the responsibility of the people when you begin to pay them a good price for coffee. This is not about taking over its should be about helping people to help themselves
The bottom line is that these farmers are not forced into taking on fair trade deals, no one is holding a gun to their heads, reading that I felt it was more of a political article than a film review, I was suprised to see it on the front of the forum.
I guess this is the part that worry’s me the most Scott, farmers are forced into these agreements because they see no other way to make a living. They can not find a route to market they have to sell somewhere. To say its fantastic and by buying it you change the world is not true, you give them a basic standard of living.
As I’m very keen to stress I think there is a need for fair trade and that the idea as a whole is a good one, but it is not he only answer. This was meant to be a counter balance to this point of view.
As for a political article, I certainly don’t think so. Yes this is something I feel very passionate about, but I said something was black you would say its blue of late anyway Scott. I think we know we disagree with each other on this matter and that’s fine I respect your point of view, but I have mine too, and it would be nice to have the same back.
It’s on the front page as Team TMC thought it would provoke some interesting debate, and so far it has. I’m curious to think why you think it should be there?
Sorry for the long reply and this is in no way personal, just something I feel very passionate about.
Cheers
Steve
PS Still love you Scott