Herbs and spices
Whether it’s vanilla or valerian, turmeric or tarragon, herbs and spices liven up so much of the food we cook. And yet for many of the people who grow these everyday products, there’s a vital ingredient missing: fairness.
The herbs and spices industry
Herbs and spices go way back, with a culinary and medicinal history that is as rich as the food they flavour. While there are many farmers and workers who grow these crops, the number of companies trading and marketing them is anything but large. That means there is a power imbalance when it comes to trade.
Many herb and spice crops are labour intensive. For example, vanilla needs to be hand pollinated outside of its natural Central American habitat. Meanwhile, saffron strands are harvested from the stigmas of a flower. Despite the often delicate nature of herb and spice farming, the hard work farmers and workers put in doesn’t translate when it comes to the pay they receive, even though some spices are traded for large amounts of money.
Current challenges
Apart from the issue of low prices, there are other issues at play in the herb and spice sector.
- Price fluctuation. More extreme weather patterns and political instability can drive price volatility, which means smallholder farmers and plantation workers can struggle to earn enough from their crops.
- Lack of connectivity. Many producers work in remote areas, with poor transport and telecommunications links. This pushes up production costs, interferes with their market access and market information and forces them to rely on a small pool of traders.
How Fairtrade makes a difference
• Fairtrade Minimum Price. For a number of Fairtrade herbs and spices, such as vanilla and rooibos, there is a Fairtrade Minimum Price. This aims to cover the cost of sustainable production, and acts as a security net when market prices fall.
• The Fairtrade Premium is paid on top of the selling price. Farmers decide together how to spend the Premium. Popular investments include healthcare, community projects and assets for farmers’ businesses.
• Stability. Other benefits of Fairtrade include support on health and safety, and access to credit ahead of harvesting
Please note: Among the many spices and herbs, there are some which don't have a Fairtrade Minimum Price. Traders that purchase these products on Fairtrade terms must pay producers a Premium of 15 percent on top of the commercial sales price.