| |
 |
Nioka
Abbott |
 |
Photo: Abigail Hadeed/Oxfam |
Nioka has
been a banana farmer on St Vincent for 15 years and is now the Chairperson
of the local Fair Trade Group.
"There's been big changes since the 1970s. Now it's just more
expensive to produce bananas. It's more work and less money.
I harvest every week or fortnight. Bananas are better than any other
crops for regular harvesting. You get an income all through the
year. That's why banana is so popular as a cash crop. It would be
hard to find a replacement."
Fair Trade
"The good thing about being involved in Fair Trade is the social
premium we get. Last year we bought chairs with ours. Before, when
we held meetings everyone had to stand.
I ask people to buy more Fair Trade bananas and start putting pressure
on supermarkets who don't buy Fair Trade. The market now is so small
for Fair Trade that we need to get more supermarkets to buy them.
If we could produce at a larger volume then we'd get a larger income
in return."
Bonkers
about bananas
|
