The Fair Trade Certified tea program addresses labor issues and unfair trade practices within the world’s tea industry. Fair Trade certification protects tea estate workers as it ensures fair labor conditions and fair minimum wages. Fair Trade farmers gain access to international markets and are empowered to build organizational capacity to compete in the global marketplace. A minimum sales price is guaranteed to ensure a sustainable wage is paid to tea workers and a sustainable income is paid to tea farmers. All tea growers receive an additional Fair Trade premium to invest in their farms and communities. Fair Trade standards provide a framework for farms to increase their environmental sustainability. Fair Trade Certified tea sales have been booming in recent years as Fair Trade teas reach beyond the traditional loose leaf or bagged varieties and into ready-to-drink bottled tea beverages.
Low-interest loans are provided to members if there has been an emergency or if they have fallen ill. The support ASOBAGRI provides from this fund prevents members from selling-off their crops to middlemen for lower prices than the fair trade standards. This fund also helps provide for a small sense of security while the member's health or emergency-related situation gets better.
Importers
