German minister, Muller, criticizes price of food

Gerd Muller, the German minister of Economic Cooperation and Development, criticized the very low price of food, reports the German website Proplanta.de. "Food is under appreciated in Germany. Food is sold at a loss to be used as bait by commercial enterprises. The producers are suffering because of this. Consumers need to think about the fact that the first step in producing every kind of food begins with one person," says Muller to the 'Mitteldeutsche Zeitung' (Central German Newspaper).

Industry has been critical, "The price for food in Germany is slightly above the average in the EU according to the statistical bureau of the European Union," reported the 'Bundesverband des Deutschen Lebensmittelhandels' (Federal Association of the German Retail Grocery Trade) last Monday in Berlin.

Trading companies have been expanding their assortment of sustainably produced products for years. More and more people are spending more money on fair trade products, local products and organically produced items. Commerce is also following this change in thinking. However, the goal continues to be that consumers have access to good products at affordable prices."

Muller criticized that so far 'too few companies' have joined a fair trade coffee covenant, which guarantees coffee growers a price in which they can support themselves and their families.