Let us introduce you …   

Our regular readers know that Fair Trade has remarkable power to make a big difference in the lives of cane farmers and beekeepers. You--consumers who support Fair Trade goods--are responsible for making that difference. When you buy Fair Trade sugars and honeys, you support the business model and create demand, but you are also helping change the world for families in far away places. Sometimes those lives seem far away and distant, but we wanted to bring it all a bit closer, so we introduce you to our newest co-operative partners and in so doing, extend a heartfelt thank you to each of you.

We are off to Paraguay!

Paraguayan farmers have cultivated sugar cane for centuries. For almost as long, they have exported what they could, but other South American cane producers (who are generally large sugar conglomerates) have dominated the industry for years. In the mid-to-late 1990s, independent Paraguayan sugar producers realized they would not be able to compete against other low-cost sugar exporters based on the cost of production, especially since transportation from the more remote areas of Paraguay adds significant cost to the product.

Most Paraguayan sugar farms are small by our standards--just two to seven acres; the farms are generally owned by families, and have been passed down over generations. The farms may be up to six hours by bus from the major business and transportation hubs. The farms’ isolation means they likely have no access to the Internet or connection to the global sugar market trends that affect their daily lives. Their income opportunities were limited and many had to sell their belongings to finance the next year's crop. Too many of them faced no option but to sell their farms and move to the cities in search of other ways to support their families.

While the Paraguayan cane farmers assessed their challenges, they also recognized their assets: they shared interests and objectives, and many of the small-scale sugarcane farmers had “clean” farms … they simply could not afford expensive conventional chemical treatments for their crops and so had relatively unpolluted land. Because their farms were free of pesticides and herbicides, they were eligible for organic certification with minimal additional investment—another plus. They realized that through Fair Trade, new alliances of family farmers could change history.

The farmers tapped the power of collaboration and established farming cooperatives. They saw that the emerging Fair Trade market was primed for sweetening (literally and figuratively), and that Fair Trade certification could provide great benefits. Moreover, they realized that through Fair Trade, and its emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices, they could also help revitalize their farming operations.

In a groundbreaking partnership between Wholesome Sweeteners (led by CEO Nigel Willerton), forward-thinking sugar mills, small-scale sugar cane farmer cooperatives, and consumer support in the US and abroad, Paraguayan farmers pioneered Fair Trade and organic sugar production—shaping their own niche in the global sugar market. Today, more than 85% of the Fair Trade Organic sugar sold in the US is from Paraguayan sugar cane farms.

Wholesome has worked with other Paraguayan cane cooperatives for years, and you are probably well familiar with their stories by now. Because this is about so much more than just sugar--it’s really about people and the planet (we’ve always considered our farmers cooperative members to be family)--we wanted to introduce you to Cañeros Orgánicos Asociados (CORA), in Tebicuary Mi, Paraguay. CORA is Wholesome’s newest Fair Trade Certified(tm) partner.

In their first year as Fair Trade Certified producers, members of CORA aimed to increase cane sugar production to build up organizational capacity, diversify income opportunities and improve their livelihoods. Because CORA is Fair Trade Certified, it provides its members with lower-cost tractor and transportation services so they can direct their income to improving local soil conditions. And with a goal of doubling their cane output, CORA’s members have already invested Fair Trade premiums in a brand-new 132-horsepower tractor and equipment for members to help expand their farming operations. They also purchased a small eight-ton truck for transporting organic fertilizers and seeds.

“I visited the CORA cooperative earlier this year, just before they started this year’s sugar cane harvest. Meeting any of these farmers is a very moving and humbling experience,” says Nigel Willerton, Wholesome’s CEO. “They held a large church service, which the whole village attended, and blessed the tractors and trucks that they were able to purchase with the fair trade premiums Wholesome’s product sales have generated. They blessed Wholesome Sweeteners and all who worked here as well.”

More than just equipment and farm conditions, CORA’s Fair Trade program has brought perhaps more significant benefits to its community … Hector Silva, another CORA member, says "Thanks to Fair Trade we are showing our community that organizations can work and create a better future for their members."

The cooperatives are revitalizing their farms and communities, sending their kids to school and reestablishing their roots. The farmers are coming home again.

ABOUT THE COOPERATIVE

Year Founded 2007

Year Certified 2008

Number of Members 111

Number of Women 4

Average Farm Size 3.1 hectares

Total Production Area 343 hectares

Organic Production 100%