There seems to be nothing wrong with the idea of free trade. On the contrary, removing trade barriers, such as quotas, which limit the volume of imports into a country, free exchange of goods, binds the world together, and makes it possible to have competition from all over the world on our tables. However, on their long journey from far off places, these goods change hands many times over which their price, thus becoming more expensive for the end user. At the same time, producers of these goods at the other end of the long chain end up with very little income. It is enough to recall reports of frustrated farmers throwing away their produce, because it is cheaper to import the same goods from distant regions.
To give their farmers a better chance in a world of competition, many EU countries provide them with more than generous subsidies, to the poor of others who see this as an unfair advantage. Such subsidies give farmers in the developed world a definite advantage, but on the other hand, result in driving down prices in other world markets. In a practice known as 10._, produce is exported to other countries at an 11._ low price, which makes farmers’ labour in poor countries even less profitable. This is where the concept of fair trade 12.____ the scene.
While sipping their morning coffee, many 13._ Westerners want to feel that they are doing something good for the world at the same time. This feeling is the strongest weapon in the hands of the fair trade 14.__. By buying products labelled as Fair Trade, these very same Westerners can 15._ their guilty conscience, knowing that a portion of the higher price they readily paid will be used to finance projects improving the standard of living in the poor areas their coffee comes from, as well as ensure that 16._ producers keep their businesses running.
