Fairtrade Global Sugar Advisory Summit 2024

Major players in the global sugar industry gathered in Mauritius earlier this month to understand, learn, and seek solutions to how climate change and evolving global policies are impacting the supply and demand of certified sugar.

Discussions focused on supply and production challenges, market innovations, and enhancing Fairtrade's relevance in an ever-changing market landscape.

"We are proud of the collaborative spirit demonstrated at the summit," said Monika Berresheim, Faitrrade’s Senior Advisor for Sugar. "These discussions pave the way for a sustainable future for Fairtrade sugar, ensuring that the Fairtrade system, producers, sugar companies, traders, retailers, brands, and consumers are all aligned in promoting ethical practices.”

The importance of Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD), better labor practices , and tackling climate change on Fairtrade sugar production were major talking points. To halt declining production, and following a series of independent carbon & water footprint studies, Fairtrade and supply chains have started to implement projects to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including the application of biofertilizer and improving soil health with the use of cover crops.

There was also an opportunity for the various cooperatives to share how the Fairtrade Premiums were being used to improve the quality of life for the small producers.

For over 12 years, CSC Sugar/Sugaright has been purchasing Fairtrade Certified Sugar from Central America, resulting in the transfer of premiums exceeding $6 million. It was rewarding to discover the support offered by the El Sunza cooperative in El Salvador and the Coopevictoria cooperative in Costa Rica to small-scale farmers, which has contributed to improving their families' livelihoods and enabling investments in farm enhancements.

Visits to local small producers reminded us of the challenges of making a living growing and cutting cane by hand. We followed the cut cane to the Omnicane mill and refinery which was sophisticated and well-run.  Most of their production goes to value-added specialty sugars which are exported to Europe to fill the high demand for such products.

Mauritius is abundant with water and sunshine that creates great growing conditions for cane but also allows for a growing and busy tourism industry that continues to attract workers with better pay. The result is a labor shortage and a slow reduction in cane sugar production. Other countries reported labor shortages due to migration and the advanced age of many farmers.

The meeting concluded with an assessment of the proposed revised Trader Standard. The attendees highlighted the importance of maintaining the mass balance alternative for cane sugar and the risks associated with imposing overly strict regulations on a commodity traded worldwide. The shared goal was clear: to maximize the premium received by small-scale growers, enabling them to obtain a just compensation for their work.

CSC Sugar and Sugaright take pride in our association with Fairtrade International. If you are interested in learning more about their mission or sourcing Fairtrade Certified Sugar for your premium products, please inform us.