Flowers

Flower picker at Kiliflora, a Fairtrade Certified Flower Farm in Tanzania. Photo by: Max Havelaar Foundation Switzerland

In some African countries, the cut-flower industry is one of the major export earners. In Kenya, it employs 70,000 people, the majority of whom are women.

However, not everyone benefits equally from  this prosperous business. Various labor unions and NGOs have been denouncing the inhumane working conditions of labourers on flower farms. In a 2002 study conducted by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), the industry was accused of paying their workers less than $1 US a day for an 8- to 12-hour workday and of housing them in crowded facilities. Workers were often required to handle dangerous chemicals without proper protective equipment, putting them at risk of being poisoned.

In these situations, through labelling, Fairtrade aims to support these campaigns by certifying those farms which ensure safety and good working conditions for the employees. Consumers in diverse countries can now purchase Fairtrade flowers from developing countries with the guarantee that the rights of the workers who have produced them are being respected.

An additional payment of 8% of the export price is managed by a Joint Body consisting of workers and managers. This Fairtrade Premium is used for projects to improve the social conditions of workers and their communities.

Sales of Fairtrade Flowers (in thousands of stems)

2004

2005

2006

Austria

1.478

8.677

Belgium

1.720

3.251

Canada

6.698

15.932

France

1.622

Germany

2.906

9.475

UK

13.008

17.281

47.292

Italy

141

Japan

189

Luxemburg

1.298

Norway

1.220

Switzerland

88.601

83.450

82.595

Australia/New Zealand

1.359

Total

101.610

113.535

171.056

Where are the Fairtrade Flower Farms?

At the end of 2006, FLO International worked with 28 flowers and ornamental plants farms in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. If you want to find out where these farms are located, please check the database available on the FLO-CERT website.