What Are The Pros And Cons Of Fair Trade

Introduction to development.
Student Name: Eamonn Byrne
Student Number: 14501163
Essay Title:
“Fair Trade has become increasingly popular in recent years. While it has merits in drawing attention to an unjust global trading system as well as bringing a better price to primary producers, some commentators are critical of the Fair Trade movement, arguing that it equates activism with consumerism and depoliticises development. Discuss both the merits and the criticisms of the Fair Trade movement.”

Throughout this essay I will analyse the pros and cons of Fair Trade, to achieve this I will use points from Fair Trade critiques and other readings. In order to this it is important to understand just what is Fairtrade and what is its goals? For

(Fairtrade.net) Fair Trade also promotes environmental sustainable methods to production of goods, producers therefore have to ensure their products pass the organic certifications, which means they mustn’t use initially, genetically modified organisms. Producers must protect their working environment, such as forests, soil, water, endangered plant and animal species and also must deal with waste and erosion problems efficiently. (Fairtrade.net) Producers must also pass national and international chemical standards, develop, implement and monitor an operations plan on their farming and techniques. (Fairtrade.net) this needs to reflect a balance between protecting the environment and good business results. (Fairtrade.net) Producers must work out and monitor what affect their activities are having on the environment. (Fairtrade.net) Then they must make a plan of how they can lessen the impacts and keep checking that this plan is carried out. (Fairtrade.net) Jacqueline Decarlo’s book titled Fairtrade: A Beginners guide” also outlines merits within the Fairtrade system, such as safe working conditions which are standards which must be met by Fairtrade producers such as all machines and equipment they

It certainly has made awareness of the unjust global trading system and getting primary producers a better price for their goods which according to Fairtrade leads to it been re invested in healthcare, processing facilities, farm improvements and education which can only be a good thing for the development of a 3rd world country, Fairtrade brings with a standard for all its members, standards in product quality, safety regulations and environmental protection. (Decarlo, 2007) Fair trade gives somewhat of a voice to Fairtrade producers which is a big merit as many people in developing have no voice and no assurance about their future, Small farmer are a part of a democratic structure and transparent administration, these workers are allowed to have representatives on a committee that decides on the use of the Fairtrade Premium. (Fairtrade) However Fairtrade does have it critiques, Phillip Booth is one, he outlines how Fairtrade producers are still using methods which long gone in the developed world and that Fairtrade need to start addressing the issue of mechanisation and industrialisation in these developing countries, Fairtrade producers are mostly doing their work by hand which is extremely hard work, industrialisation is what set developed and developing countries, Developed countries have the means to produce goods efficiently without the back breaking work. (Booth,