Friday, October 26, 2007

Peruvians outline benefits of fair-trade coffee

By Rebecca Lerner
Special to The Ithaca Journal

ITHACA — In the Peruvian valley of San Fernando, at the historic site of Machu Picchu, fair-trade coffee is making life better for farmers.

That was the message from coffee grower Beltran Leguia Masias, who came to visit Ithaca on a trip sponsored by Equal Exchange, the company that roasts, packages and distributes coffee beans for the San Fernando Cooperative. Its product is sold at Ithaca Bakery and Collegetown Bagels.

“Before we were organized as a cooperative, we were exploited by the middlemen. They would offer whatever price they wanted. During this period, there were a lot of problems. Our children had poor nutrition, and the majority of our kids were illiterate. Now it's changed, and it's still changing,” Masias said, speaking through a translator.

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