Fair Trade group builds links with supermarkets

CEBU, Philippines - The Advocate for Philippine Fair Trade, Inc. (APFTI) is now working on expanding the market reach of fair trade products in the Philippines, through a strong partnership with supermarket associations in the country.

 In an interview with APFTI president Vicente Roaring, he said that this venture to link with the Philippine Association of Supermarket Inc. (PASI), and Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Associations (PAG-ASA) is part of the movement’s effort to drum up awareness to the 84 million Filipinos in patronizing locally produced products through “fair trade” process.

Although, some fair-trade registered products are now made available in some supermarkets around the country, but visibility and accessibility of the products should be more strengthened, and that ultimate vision to provide a stall for fair-trade products in all supermarkets nationwide.

Fair Trade is a global movement aimed at alleviating poverty, providing opportunities to disadvantaged producers, ensuring fair and equitable working conditions, and helping address climate change while generating profits.

While the partnership with PASI and PAG-ASA is now being negotiated, Roaring said there are also some challenges that need to be addressed by APFTI, especially in sustaining the sustainability of volume requirement, and adjustment of payment-scheme required by supermarket owners.

Under the conventional environment, a supermarket pays the goods or purchase order (PO) after a month from delivery. For fair trade members on the other hand, at least 50 percent down-payment is required in order to roll out the capital to sustain the farms, or small operation in their respective communities.

According to Roaring, since fair trade’s priority is not to prioritize large profitability in business, but helping the alleviation of poverty among producers, such as farmers, supermarkets are encouraged to adjust the payment system and consider this as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Small producers can not thrive in an environment wherein they are made to wait for one-month after they can get the payment of their products, Roaring said these producers struggle for lack capitalization.

APFTI in partnership with Southern Partners Fair Trade Corporation (SPFTC) opened one of the country’s first “The Fair Trade Shop” in Cebu last year, located at Jones Avenue, in its bid to jumpstart in promoting the support of socially and environmental conscious shopping culture in the Philippines.

The Cebu outlet opened in August last year, is the first of the seven similar store that will established by the fair trade advocates led by APFTI in the Philippines, in the next two years.

APFTI, together with World Fair Trade Organization Philippines, and other supporting organizations will hold its Annual Fair Trade Partners Conference 2010 in Cebu this coming March 3-6 at Golden Prince Hotel.

The Conference which is expected to draw at least 120 delegates from all over the country, will carry the theme “One Vision, One Solution” aims at strengthening the ties, build capacity and develop strategies for the implementation of APFTI’s three-year market development for Fair Trade project.