Rugby MP Mark Pawsey joined Yorkshire Fairtrade business fairandfunky, Yorkshire schools and Foncho a Colombian Banana producer at the Houses of Parliament.
Yorkshire business fairandfunky ran the event in Parliament to bring Fairtrade to the centre of Parliament and Mark was delighted to attend, to show support for the campaign to Make Bananas Fair and meet Foncho, a banana farmer from Cienaga in Colombia.
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 to make bananas big news, and joined fairandfunky to convince the government to take action to help end unfair pricing by supermarkets. Together we need stick with Foncho to Make Bananas Fair.
Mark said:
“Hearing about the impact of Fairtrade and the need to make bananas fair, first hand from Foncho was very powerful. I was happy to sign the pledge and support the campaign. It was great to see so many young people there engaging in the fairandfunky workshop and learning how they too can support Fairtrade and change the world.”
Mark concluded:
“Before I entered Parliament in 2010 I supplied fair-trade tea and coffee through my business so was well aware of the value of fair-trade products many years ago. It is great to support such a worthwhile campaign.”
Throughout the event Foncho shared his story, and encouraged people to sign the “Make bananas fair” pledge. In the fairandfunky workshop children from three Yorkshire schools learnt about Fairtrade, and participated in a creative workshop to make Fairtrade flags. “We’re delighted that young people are getting the chance to Stick with Foncho by telling MPs about the difference Fairtrade makes to thousands of banana farmers across the world. Young people are at the heart of Fairtrade.” Said Kate Jones, the Fairtrade Foundation’s Education Campaigns Manager.