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Grounded airplanes sparked by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland means prospects for the millions of workers who rely on the flower industry for the livelihood are bleak as growers, unable to export, ditch millions of pounds worth of product.

Each week, millions of stems arrive in the UK from the developing world. Now this has fallen to a trickle. Some stems are being flown to Spain and then on by road to the UK. But this is a tiny amount.

Business is already tight for the Kenyan flower industry in the wake of the recession. Loss of revenue threatens the living standards of huge numbers of people.
It is estimated that the flower sector in Kenya alone is losing up to $2m per day according to the Kenyan Flower Council. If flights do not resume soon, flower farms will be forced to lay off staff. Some firms have put workers on shorter days while others have asked staff to take holiday entitlements as the crisis continues.

Flowers are unusual in the Fairtrade system as they are routinely air-freighted to meet quality and freshness criteria. Most Fairtrade fruit and vegetables including bananas are shipped and therefore continue to arrive in the UK. But pre-cut fresh fruit businesses also rely on planes to distribute their products and they are facing real problems. 

Many adversely affected flower and food producers are continuing to pay farmers and workers for their products even though no goods are arriving in the UK via plane. The Fairtrade Foundation calls on banks throughout the world to be supportive of farmers and manufacturers during this difficult time by relaxing if necessary payments and credit obligations. And we call on retailers to work with suppliers and growers to establish workable solutions to supply.

Notes to Editors

1. The FAIRTRADE Mark is a certification mark and a registered trademark of Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) of which the Fairtrade Foundation is the UK member. The Fairtrade Foundation is an independent certification body which licenses the use of the FAIRTRADE Mark on products which meet international Fairtrade standards. This independent consumer label is now recognised by 72% of UK consumers and appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged producers are getting a better deal. Today, more than 7.5 million people – farmers, workers and their families – across 58 developing countries benefit from the international Fairtrade system.

2. Over 4,500 products have been licensed to carry the FAIRTRADE Mark including coffee, tea, herbal teas, chocolate, cocoa, sugar, bananas, grapes, pineapples, mangoes, avocados, apples, pears, plums, grapefruit, lemons, oranges, satsumas, clementines, mandarins, lychees, coconuts, dried fruit, juices, smoothies, biscuits, cakes & snacks, honey, jams & preserves, chutney & sauces, rice, quinoa, herbs &  spices, seeds, nuts & nut oil, wines, beers, rum, confectionary, muesli, cereal bars, yoghurt, ice-cream, flowers, sports balls, sugar body scrub and cotton products including clothing, homeware, cloth toys, cotton wool and olive oil.

3. 7 in 10 households purchase Fairtrade goods, including an extra 1.3 million more households in 2008, helping Fairtrade sales reach an estimated £700m in 2008, a 43% increase on the previous year. There are over 460 producer organisations selling to the UK and by the end of October 2008 872 certified producer groups were in the global Fairtrade system, representing more than 1.5 million farmers and workers.