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THE IMPACT OF FAIR TRADE ON
PRODUCERS AND THEIR ORGANISATIONS:
A CASE STUDY WITH COOCAFÉ IN COSTA RICA.

LORAINE RONCHI

PRUS WORKING PAPER NO. 11
June 2002

Poverty Research Unit at Sussex
University of Sussex
Falmer, Brighton
BN1 9SJ
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Abstract
Fair Trade attempts to address the poverty issues of small Southern producers through the payment of a ‘fair price’ for their goods and the provision of support services for producer organisations. Although Fair Trade is overwhelmingly identified with the ‘fair price’ paid by participating importers and buyers, sketching the possible avenues of impact reveal that many of the effects of Fair Trade on the quality of life of producers are felt through the organisational development supported by Fair Trade organisations. This study examines the impact of 10 years of Fair Trade in coffee in Costa Rica and reveals the importance of organisational development support for the stakeholders of the nine
Costa Rican coffee co-operatives.

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Table of Contents
Preface
1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................1
1.1 Fair Trade.......................................................................................................................1
1.2 Fair Trade, Producer Organisations and Quality of Life ................................................1
1.3 Outline of the Study........................................................................................................3
2. The Case Study..............................................................................................................4
2.1 Coffee in Costa Rica......................................................................................................4
2.2 Fair Trade in Costa

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