The world’s first-ever Fairtrade-certified melons, produced by a small growers’ cooperative in Mossoro in northern Brazil, became available in Asda and Morrisons from the end of December, according to the Fairtrade Foundation.
The cooperative, COODAP (Cooperativa de Desenvolvimento Agroindustrial Potiguar), is made up of 20 members and is the first producer group to receive Fairtrade certification for melon production.
COODAP’s Maria Do Socorro Santos Ribeiro commented: “The Fairtrade certification is very important to us, and for the first time we have organised ourselves to supply melons at a fair price to an international market.”
According to the Fairtrade Foundation, the farmers hope to use the Fairtrade premium on a digital station to facilitate internet access, lest the community get left behind in the digital age.
The new Fairtrade fruit is the most recent result of a project initiated in 2004 by Univeg Direct (UK), which approached the Brazilian Pillar Group about working together to develop Fairtrade projects in the South American country.
The first product to be developed under this project was mangoes, and since then Univeg Direct has been working to bring more small, marginalised producers of mangoes and other produce into the Fairtrade system. Melons were added to the Fairtrade Standards for Fresh Fruit earlier this year by FLO (Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International), paving the way for COODAP.
Harriet Lamb, executive director of the Fairtrade Foundation, commented: “The launch of Fairtrade melons means Brazilian small growers will gain access to the UK market, which they previously thought was impossible. The commitment by Asda and Morrsions means consumers will have a new Fairtrade treat in the New Year, making it easier than ever for people to enjoy their 5-a-day the Fairtrade way in 2010.”
