Sugar
- A member of Manduvira, a Fairtrade Certified Sugar Cooperative in Paraguay, working on his fields. Photo by: Monika Berresheim
Sugar is one of the most important world commodities, produced and consumed around the globe. However, for the millions of farmers working to cultivate sugarcane, there are significant obstacles to earning a decent livelihood. Because sugar is also produced by developed countries in the North which subsidize and protect their sugar industries, it becomes even more difficult for farmers in small, resource-producing countries to make enough income to live on.
Farmers who produce Fairtrade Certified Sugar are guaranteed a Fairtrade Minimum Price for their produce and a Fairtrade Premium to invest in social and economic initiatives in their communities.
Fairtrade Standards for sugar
- Producers are organized in cooperatives (or associations) which they govern democratically.
- The Fairtrade Minimum Price and the Fairtrade Premium is paid directly to producer cooperatives that own their own sugar mills.
- Environmental standards restrict the use of agrochemicals and encourage sustainability.
- Pre-harvest lines of credit are given to the cooperatives if requested, of up to 60% of the purchase price.
- A social premium is paid directly to the coop and is used for social and economic investments such as education, health services, processing equipment, and loans to members
Sales volumes of Fairtrade Sugar (in Metric Tonnes)
2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
Austria | 85 | 235 | 423 |
Belgium | 110 | 256 | 319 |
Canada | 45 | 64 | 229 |
Denmark | 15 | 6 | 124 |
Finland | 19 | 92 | |
France | 274 | 619 | 967 |
Germany | 21 | 24 | 93 |
UK | 965 | 1.690 | 2.172 |
Ireland | 29 | ||
Italy | 186 | 282 | 378 |
Japan | 2 | 3 | |
Luxemburg | 3 | 7 | 9 |
Netherlands | 17 | ||
Norway | 87 | ||
Sweden | 1 | 195 | |
Switzerland | 236 | 322 | 389 |
USA | 107 | 1.625 | |
Spain | 10 | ||
TOTAL | 1.961 | 3.613 | 7.161 |
Where are the Fairtrade Sugar Producers?
At the end of 2006, FLO International worked with 16 sugar producer organizations in Africa, Asia and Latin America. If you want to find out where the Fairtrade Certified Sugar Producer Organizations are located, please check the database available on the FLO-CERT website.