Until now, the Faircoop cooperative was known for its dairy products, through its Fairebel label. Now, it is breaking new ground: From now on, Fairtrade apples and pears will also be on offer. The expanded range was presented on Thursday morning during a video press conference, reported on by East Belgian newspaper Grenzecho.
Not only the milk market is under pressure, but the market for apples and pears as well. This is where the cooperative Faircoop comes in. "Our industry has been under heavy pressure for some time now," explained Xavier Laduron, fruit grower from the Visé region, at the conference. He was talking about problems that are familiar from or even exactly similar in the dairy sector. The sector saw an important market collapse overnight due to the geopolitical conflict with Russia, and the authorities had to intervene again and again with support measures to avoid insolvencies in fruit production.
Faircoop President Erwin Schöpges and grower Xavier Laduron (r)
Picture: Faircoop
"The demand for ever cheaper products and increasing government support - that doesn't work. Tax money should be used to build hospitals, not to subsidize fruit companies. Only a fair consumer price for a high quality product from our own country can ultimately ensure that our companies will regain their strength, that we will receive fair payment for our products, that we can pay our employees in a dignified manner and that this product will still be on the shelves of the stores in the future." Starting Thursday, pears will be available in Carrefour supermarkets and independent fruit and vegetable stores.
For more information: fair.coop/de