Fair trade makes no promises to consumers

In his letter to the editor in May, Coos De Vries quotes The Economist to argue that “it is both bad farming practice and bad economics.” What he fails to point out is that fair trade does not make any promise to consumers. Fair trade promises to pay producers a premium price for the products. What retailers do after fair trade products arrive at the local shelves is neither good nor bad. Local retailers will charge what local markets will bear.
Fair trade was set up to improve the lives of local producers and farmers. If paying the premium price (marginal amounts to consumers in the North, yet substantial for the farmers in the South) doubles the income for farmers, then, the goal has been achieved. By opting to buy fair trade, one can be assured local farmers are indeed benefitting.