Jonny782 wrote:I'm still not convinced about the film being incorrect on prices paid to farmers.
So you're basing your information on the research done by a couple of documentary filmmakers? Rather than the first hand knowledge of the professionals on this forum, who have personal and professional relationships with a number of growers in a variety of countries. It should be remembered that Ethiopia is not necessarily representative of the situation in other coffee growing regions.
they were stated clearly several times and not disputed by any of the various people in the film, including the guy representing the cooperative.
why would the directors want to challenge their own argument?
I have no idea how widespread this problem is, and from what has been posted it is not representative and may be a minority. But I think we're in danger of glossing it over.
I don't think anybody here is ignoring or glossing over the plight of the farmers. Far from it, and if anything, quite the contrary. I would say the vast majority of members here actively support the farmers by buying a high quality product for a premium price. Just take a look at some of the recent CoE auctions to see the kind of sums involved which are paid directly to the farmer. As many other have said, FT seems to be more about subsistence than any real progress.
I would be delighted if I felt I could rely on all specialty coffee to be non-exploitative.
That is a vast generalisation. I only buy coffee from a handful of suppliers, but those that I do buy from are not just transparent in their pricing, they are openly championing the rights of farmers and the quality of their product!
OK, FairTrade coffee may be exploited by supermarkets to screw a bit of extra money from a higher end coffee,
That's just it though. It's
not a higher end product, and the extra money which is being screwed out of the end customer barely makes it to the producer.
in the absence of time to carry out research on my own behalf, I feel a bit safer with it.
Isn't that taking the easy way out though? You watched a film which lasts 78 mins when surely the sensible option would be to ask here, which suppliers could you buy from and trust to know that you are buying a high quality product which fully rewards the farmer for their efforts.
Call me sceptical, but that's the kind of question I'd rather spend the time asking any day, rather than risk believing what the mass media tells me. You've taken the time to raise this "discussion" and respond in this thread. You have had responses from people at origin, roasters and consumers, who have all said more or less the same thing. It's really not that much of a leap to ask where you can buy a higher standard of coffee with not just a fair price, but a rewarding price to the farmer!
Most of the time it seems to me as though people want to buy FT just to make themselves feel better. In which case, there is little point in discussing their choices.