Agronomist and technical director of The National Confederation of Dominican Cacao Producers, Basilio Almonte de los Santos, will be coming to the U.K. in two weeks as Fairtrade Fortnight 2015 kicks off from Feb. 23. Ahead of this year's campaign, www.freshfruitportal.com takes a closer look at cocoa farming in the Caribbean and how life has improved for one cooperative since joining the Fairtrade label.

"Chose products that change lives" is the mantra for this year's campaign focusing on key products cocoa beans, tea and sugar. 

De los Santos, who hails from Yamasá on the eastern side of the tropical country, will be taking part in a series of talks and touring the country to raise awareness detailing how buying ethically sourced products benefits and empowers local cocoa farmers and their communities.

By sharing his story first-hand, he hopes to inspire more consumers to choose Fairtrade, as currently just 1.2% of global cocoa production is traded under the organization's standards.

The National Confederation of Dominican Cacao Producers (Conacado) is made up of 182 small-scale producer associations from eight regions with a total membership of 1,000 farmers.

Fairtrade certified since 1997, Conacado has made a big difference to the lives of thousands of cocoa farmers, offering them a fairer alternative to working with private companies and allowing them to get the best possible price for their supplies.

In 2013, more than two thirds of members' production, amounting to 9,500 metric tons (MT), was sold to the Fairtrade market, ensuring a stable price and the additional Fairtrade premium of US$200 per ton to invest in a range of business and community projects. The projects included new fermentations and drying centers designed to improve the quality of Conacado's coca, a rural clinic, free medical checks and clean water projects to improve the health of local communities.

Cocoa from Conacado farmers is available in several Fairtrade products including Green & Black's chocolate, Ben & Jerry's ice-cream and Lush beauty products.

"Before Fairtrade, the farmers and producers didn't have any security in terms of the price and the sale of their cocoa and were struggling," de los Santos says.

"But now it's more secure because there is a Fairtrade minimum price which covers the cost of the production of the cocoa. If the world market price is higher than the Fairtrade minimum price, the farmers also receive the higher price, so it's fair.

"This allows the farmers to plan ahead and make improvements. For example, in their lives they can have better housing and the possibility to send their kids to school and universities which was not always possible before."

Leading business back Fairtrade Fortnight

U.K retailers and brands supporting this year's Fairtrade Fortnight range from Cafédirect, Green & Blacks, Divine Chocolate, Ben & Jerry's, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Starbucks, Sainsbury's and the Co-operative.

The support from British-based business ranges from social media campaigns, promotions, give-aways, and launches of new lines to coincide with the Fairtrade campaign which is deliberately focusing on everyday products like tea, sugar and cocoa as they are used by millions in the U.K.

The aim is to get people thinking about where such commodities come from and how consumer purchasing power in the U.K. has a ripple effect on developing countries.

"After 20 years, the Fairtrade mark is the best-known ethical label in the world," Fairtrade commercial director Euan Venters says in a statement sent to www.freshfruitportal.com.

"We're asking U.K. business to stock products that change lives, or use Fairtrade in their workplace, so that together we can make a greater difference to some of the world's most disadvantaged farmers and workers, their families and their communities into the future."

Look out for more Fairtrade Fortnight news when the campaign begins in the coming weeks.

Photo: Wikimedia Creative Commons

 www.freshfruitportal.com