Do you like bananas? Have you noticed that over the last ten years the price of bananas in the UK has halved while the cost of producing those bananas has almost doubled? It just doesn’t add up, does it?

In fact, bananas are now sold so cheaply that this is trapping many banana farmers and workers in a cycle of poverty. They still can’t afford to feed their families properly or provide the basics we take for granted such as an education and healthcare.

Tayrona, Colombia courtesy of Stefanie Huber

Tayrona, Colombia courtesy of Stefanie Huber

Fairtrade fortnightFairtrade Fortnight

Monday 24th February sees the start of Fairtrade Fornight and I am adding my voice to the campaign, asking you to ‘Stick with Foncho’ to make bananas fair.

I love bananas! In fact I’m tucking into one right now with a nice cup of coffee and yes, they are both labelled FairtradeIn the UK, we eat over 5 billion bananas a year; that’s 13 million each day. Sadly, only one-third of all those bananas is Fairtrade.

Fairtrade bananas

Meet Foncho from Colombia 

Foncho's finca near Rio Frio, Magdalena, Colombia.

Foncho’s finca near Rio Frio, Magdalena, Colombia. 

Foncho is a banana farmer from Cienaga, Colombia. He’s part of a Fairtrade certified
co-operative called Coobafrio. Before Foncho’s co-operative was certified as Fairtrade, Foncho often struggled to make ends meet – it was a hard life. Now Foncho receives a fair price for his bananas, which means he can afford to care for his loved ones and send his daughter to college.

Foncho is furious that so many of his fellow banana growers are still trapped in poverty because of how little we pay for our bananas here in the UK. So furious, that he is travelling from his banana farm in Colombia to the UK this Fairtrade Fortnight, to ask Vince Cable (Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills) to investigate unfair supermarket pricing practices and act to protect the producers of the UK’s favourite fruit.

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So please just take a few minutes to sign the petition now to ‘Stick with Foncho’ and please spread the word about this campaign during Fairtrade Fortnight. Thank you!

You can find out more about how you can help here.

 

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