Why fair trade is so important in this day and time Fair trade is a structured social movement whose aims are to help producers in developing countries to enhance better trading conditions and promote sustainability. Fair trade is becoming so important in this day and time. First, the trade fair today enhances direct trade among business investors in the world. Fair trade has encouraged this dream by empowering groups of investors to strive towards working directly to disregard middlemen and other extra costs which discourage profits. As a result, workers are able to receive more profit for their goods and also develop business skills (Miller 20). In addition, fair trades enhance community development. Profits which accrue from the cooperatives and unions are initiated towards programs that have direct benefits to the community. Following this initiative programs, the community has developed and grown thus fostering better living standards. For instance, some of the profits earned by cooperatives have been directed towards the development of schools. School acts as a catalyzer of change and development in the community. Nevertheless, fair trade enhances environment sustainability. With globalization and advancement in technology, trade fair has come up with better farming methods and better production techniques which are environmentally friendly. As a result, this trade has become sustainable in ensuring land preservation. To ensure this, fair trade has prohibited the use of certain chemicals.
Finally, fair trade plays a vital role in ensuring that farmers get good prices for their products. This has helped the farmers to improve their living standards. Furthermore, fair trade has been very important in giving farmers special advices on better farming techniques which will see them increase their output. It does this through organizing workshops and seminars geared towards training the farmers.
On the other hand, Fair trade has been linked with corruption deals. Low prices in Fair trade have been criticized to occur because of fair trade marketing systems offer opportunities for corruption rather than normal market systems. For instance, it has been established that corruption has been evident in the false labeling of coffee by retailers and packers in many developing countries. In addition, exporters may be paid less than the fair trade price and also laborers may not receive their planned minimum wage (Stiglitz 126).
In addition, fair trade is nowadays criticized for helping the rich and neglecting the poor. This is to imply that fair trade is more profitable for traders from the developed countries. Moreover, it is associated and aimed at the rich farmers. Before join fair trade, cooperatives need to meet certain quality and political standards that imply that farmers need to be highly educated, skillful and capitalized. As a result, poor farmers end up not benefiting from this trade since they do not meet these standards. Although fair trade has various importances, I strongly believe that it has much criticism in today’s society. Fair trade in most case addresses issues of the rich neglecting the poor in the globe. Following the fact the poor people make the largest population of the world, it is true to say that its importance benefit very few people of the world. Finally, Poor working conditions, lack of social benefits and safety measures support my opinion that fair trade has many disadvantages (Nicholls 74).
The issues of fair trade can be improved by ensuring that the trade becomes part of the international trade regulations. This is to imply that this trade will become accepted as a universal standard which will benefit the developing countries and the labor force. It should address and enhance the growth of both rich and poor countries and farmers (Nicholls 54). Moreover, the trade should ensure global acceptance that will see companies enhance higher profit margins.
Work Cited
Miller, Debra A.. Fair trade. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Print. Nicholls, Alex, and Charlotte Opal. Fair trade: market-driven ethical consumption. London: SAGE, 2005. Print. Stiglitz, Joseph E., and Andrew Charlton. Fair trade for all: how trade can promote development. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print.
