Madam, - Dr Francis Sweeney (February 5th) casts doubts on the benefits of Fairtrade. Debate is certainly healthy. However, to suggest that paying farmers in the Fairtrade system a just and realistic price for their crops might make other farmers worse off is to ignore the desperate reality of the situation.
For decades many millions of farmers have been forced to accept price cuts and collapses to keep food on our supermarket shelves cheap. The result in poor countries has been extreme poverty.
Fairtrade was set up expressly to guarantee farmers a fair price for products such as coffee, bananas and cocoa, etc. Every time another Irish shopper switches to buying food displaying the Fairtrade logo, they show their immediate support for a just and fairer system of trade. As more shoppers switch, more farmers will be helped escape this poverty.. - Yours, etc.,
COLM O'BRIEN,
Tuamgraney,
Co Clare.