Baobab make National Geographic

Pop down to your local magazine store and read about our baobab in National Geographic this month!

New CEO at PhytoTrade Africa

It was a pleasure meeting incoming CEO John Cheesmond at PhytoTrade Africa’s annual general meeting in Gaborone last week. John  brings a wealth of private sector trade and investment experience, and lives conveniently near our friends at the Union for Ethical BioTrade in Switzerland. Welcome to the team, John!

On the flip side, we were sad to see Gus Le Breton officially handover the helm of PhytoTrade Africa, although he’s not going far – since he’s starting up a Kigelia cosmetic venture we’re bound to bump into him from time to time.

Great news for marula and baobab fruit harvesters

There's great news for African communities that harvest wild marula and baobab fruit, thanks to the development of new fairtrade standards that have been announced by the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO).  Phytotrade Africa worked with FLO and Fairtrade for nine months to undertake the fast track FLO certification process for baobab and marula, to ensure that communities could benefit from fairtrade certified products.

We caught up with Marianna Smith, who heads up certification at PhytoTrade and asked for her comments on the outcome of the process.. With a big smile she told us,"PhytoTrade is thrilled with the new direction of fairtrade standards.  Wild harvesters are so often the most exploited group in any trade chain.  Through FLO Fairtrade standards for wild harvested products from Southern Africa, this is addressed and it serves as a guideline for traders in the North to put an end to exploitation of these harvesters."

The new standards will make a huge difference to wild food harvesters as it sets minimum prices for baobab and marula products. In addition, fairtrade certified buyers will pay a premium on top of market prices for each kilogram of baobab and fruit that will be used for fair-trade products. Marianna explained that these premiums "can be used for improving the livelihoods of the entire community, and not just the harvesters."

'Very large confectioner' in baobab trial

Product developers at a "very large confectionery company", a smoothie maker, a babyfood manufacturer and several cereal bar makers are conducting trials of products containing powder from baobab pulp. Read more at confectionerynews.com

Fair Trade Fortnight in Australia and New Zealand

Fair trade Fortnight is underway from 1 – 16 May in Australia and New Zealand, with consumers being challenged to swap their everyday purchases for fair trade alternatives. The fair trade sector has grown in this region: in 2009 retail sales in Australia exceeding $36 million, up from $23 million in 2008. Manufacturers are responding to growing consumer interest in Fair trade, and a number of leading Australian companies have launched new products or committed to fair trade swaps themselves.
During the launch of the fortnight, two of Australia’s national law firms were awarded Fair Trade Workplace status for committing to exclusively use Fair trade certified hot beverages in their offices. A leading supermarket, Coles recently announced that they are extending their product range to include a further eight fair trade tea and coffee products. The Wild Bean Café committed to launch Fair trade hot chocolate in their outlets across the nation by the end of 2010.
These measures illustrate growing corporate commitment to the fair trade sector in the region.