+33 680 38 14 46
ORGANIC FAIRTRADE GINGER AT FAIRTRASA HOLLAND
The last year competition in organic ginger became bigger. For many years Jim Wilson Ruiz García and his team from Organic Ginger, Peru export this product to Fairtrasa Holland sold to the European Retailers and organic wholesalers. Fairtrasa however, sticked to their point that the growers múst receive a fair price for their products. As a consequence the sales slowed down a bit but this was all for the good cause.
“Fairtrasa’s goal is to help and keep small scale farmers out of poverty,” according to José María Cubero from Fairtrasa Holland. “So if you start following these prices, you completely loose this goal!”. “Still the volume we sell in Organic Ginger is substantial. If we would have joined the price competition we might have sold double or tripple the volume. But again, why would you sell at a price that doesn’t bring a profit but even a loss for the growers?” José continues.
According to Peter Abma from Fairtrasa Holland: “It’s difficult to explain to your clients why your ginger is € 2.00 to € 5.00 a box more expensive in some cases. Also the supermarkets are being judget by the final consumer and according to the consumer ginger, is ginger. And in fact they are right about that!”
In was decided to come to a solution where the growers receive the money they need and how to make the client understand the price which is a bit higher in some cases. “These conversations already started end 2016,” José explains. “We also started the discussion with the growers and we took a critical look at the organization. We worked on a better and more efficient infrastructure to save costs and all parties agreed that we should certify all farms as Fairtrade. This way we can explain why our ginger has a higher price, but at the same time we guarantee the sustainability of the product!” according to José.
“Our ultimate wish is that the “brand” Fairtrasa will be accepted as a social certificate,” Peter Abma says. “We are not there yet. Of course the big question if it will ever be the case. But you always need something to dream about, isn’t it?”
“But,” says José. “From August 2017, when the new crop from Peru starts, we can be this proud to say that we have Organic Fair Trade Ginger” in the assortment. And that you don’t have to explain!”
Contact information:
Fairtrasa Holland BV
ABC Westland 212
2685 DC Poeldijk
+31 174 291 600
José María Cubero
Peter Abma
