Flintshire enjoys Fairtrade fortnight
Meet the producer event – Juan Louis Aviles a cashew nut producer from El Salvador came to Mold to explain the difference that Fairtrade makes in his community.
Fairtrade Fortnight has been celebrated in Flintshire at a wide variety of events. Wales is the world’s first Fairtrade (FT) nation and does much to help relieve poverty in developing countries.
One third of the world’s population live on less than 2 dollars a day and by buying FT we can help to ensure poor farmers get a better price deal for their crops. Many local health food stores and supermarkets now stock a wide range of FT products such as tea, coffee, chocolate, bananas and sugar – look for the FT symbol.
Nuts may not be a crop associated with FT. So cashew nut producer Juan Louis Aviles, from El Salvador came to Mold Town Hall to speak about his organic farm which sells to FT and is also part of the farmers’ co-operative Liberation Nuts. Other cashew farmers in El Salvador get 14$ for 50 kilos, whereas FT pay 22$. Juan’s farm employs over 300 workers and his contract with FT enables him to pay them a fair wage and also helps his community with projects such as building a new island bridge.
Harry’s Nuts are Fairtrade salted cashews and peanuts bought from co-operative nut producers – Liberation Nuts. Comedian Harry Hill takes no money from this and has put his name to it in order to support the farmers. He is involved at many stages of production – the nuts are cooked longer so they taste extra crunchy.
