What happens in the Coffee Industry and in the Fair Trade

80% of the coffee revenues stay with roasters in the countries where they operate, whilst growers and farmers in poor countries only receive 10%. Growers and farmers have difficult lives, after all, they live on just £25 - £500 per year. Yes, per year! Worst-case scenario, the farmer’s family must live an entire month on what a cup of coffee costs in the UK.

This is the reality of the Coffee industry. The coffee planters should have more dignity in their lives. Fair Trade practices should be redesigned to create this dignity. Where they can have a decent life and plan for the future, rather than live a hand-to-mouth existence.

The only way to do this is by establishing the roasting process in the community where the coffee is grown, thereby keeping more of the profit locally.

Another advantage is that exporting coffee ready for consumption will decrease Greenhouse gas emissions by 20% and contribute to a Greener industry.

Hence, the cycle is closed, and we guarantee the sustainability of the coffee industry, where: 

• farmers and growers have a better life, 
• poor countries can boost their economies and remove more people from the extreme poverty line,  
• nature will be better preserved, 
• and the consumer will have a cheaper product with improved social and environmental impact.

 

Mzuzu and Fair Trade Scotland will lead the way

With 6 cooperatives and 3,000 farmers in Malawi, Mzuzu was the only certified coffee producer with the only two independently audited Fairtrade/Fair Trade Systems in the market. A pioneer in roasting coffee, they can reintegrate into the global Fair Trade market and bring consumers a high-quality product, with a fair price, and positive social impact. 

However, they need help! 

 

Why help is needed to Rectify Fairtrade and Re-certify Mzuzu?

After 10 years of being a Fairtrade Certified Producer, they were not given enough time to recover from a world crisis in the coffee industry. Even after presenting documents stating that staff members agreed to wait for better times.

They lost their certification on 30th July 2019, and because of this, they immediately lost 18 Fairtrade buyers, further worsening their financial situation. This meant that they could not pay the arrears as they wished.

They have not received any help from the organisations that were supposed to be partners, and buyers of the green bean also make it difficult for them to diversify and increase their income, by exporting their roasted in country coffee.

It is clear that there is unfair competition within the coffee sector as 94% of coffee is exported as a green bean. This denies the producer the added income generated by roasting in the country of origin, thereby losing one more battle for the social good.

Help us to redesign the Fair Trade system to:

• redesign the policies (including unfair de-certifications);
• allow and incentivise producers to roast green beans in their countries;
• make this situation public and notorious to help Mzuzu to be recertified.