hacesol

At the prices set daily for fair trade on the New York Stock exchanage – currently at around $ 1.41 pound …a small poor farmer cannot afford to farm…only large scale farmers can sell at that price. Fair Trade has lost it’s power- instead coffee retailers are charging a premium for fair-trade coffee to concious people and the raosters and middle men are making more not the farmers. Our non-profit gave a micro-laon to a small 10 acre farmer in Guatemala and he has gone “vertical” , now drying his own beans, separating the fruit from the bean, and his dausghter now can roast the beans. His income has gone from $ 2000 year to $ 8000 year and he has 4 of his children in higher education in Guatemala…he still lives in corn stalk house with dirt floors and tin roof, but is so happy that he can educate his children. his daughter has made enough money SHE was able to loan $ 4000 to another farmer for his own separating machine. We pay this farmer $ 6.00 /pound. there is another coffee organization here in Washington that pays it’s farmers $ 3.40 pound – it is associated with Agros a secular non-profit that buys land and establishes farming communities to help end poverty and oppression.. So be aware fair-trade has lost it’s way …and instead is increasing Starbucks profits .