Fiona Bruce MP supports Fairtrade Fortnight in Parliament
Fiona Bruce MP joined Colombian Banana producer, Albeiro Ruiz, at the Houses of Parliament to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight 24th February to 9th March
Fiona Bruce MP said:
“I commend all those involved in supporting the Fairtrade Movement within my constituency; it is particularly encouraging to see how many schools, businesses and school groups are supportive of Fairtrade and to know of the many Fairtrade events taking place locally, during Fairtrade Fortnight such as the building of a model town in Alsager, Congleton school children learning about what Fairtrade products are available locally and many other events across the constituency. I have long supported the Fairtrade movement and hearing about the impact of Fairtrade and the need to make banana trading fair first hand from Albeiro was very powerful. I was happy to sign the ‘Make Banana Pricing Fair’ pledge and support the campaign.”
The UK eats over five billion bananas a year; 80% of which are bought from major supermarkets that are continually battling with each other in a very competitive price war. In the past 10 years, the UK supermarket sector has almost halved the shelf price of loose bananas while the cost of producing them has doubled. We now typically pay 11p for a loose banana compared with 18p a decade ago, while a loose apple grown in the UK now costs 20p. The resulting drop in export prices for bananas in producing countries means an ever-tightening squeeze on what producers earn for their bananas. This, combined with escalating production and living costs, means many farmers and workers’ standards of living have progressively worsened in the past decade.
Columbian banana farmer Albeiro Alfonso ‘Foncho’ Cantillo Ruiz is in the UK throughout Fairtrade Fortnight and joined MP’s and supporters in Parliament to convince the government to take action to help end unfair pricing by supermarkets.
