A positive balance for Fairtrade Austria

Austria is among the top 5 Fairtrade countries worldwide. 92 percent of the population know what the Fairtrade organisation does, 41 percent buy products carrying its label regularly and 81 percent at least occasionally. There are currently 127 licence partners in Austria and  1,750 Fairtrade products available in 1,850 cafes, bakeries, hotels, restaurants, canteens, 169 communities, 34 schools, many firms and parishes all over the country. Fairtrade Austria reports that also a considerable number of products are exported. In 2016 total turnover came to 270 million euros, a whole 46 % more than the year before.

35.4 million euros went as direct income to producer organisations in Africa, Asia and Latin America. "Fairly traded cocoa did particularly well last year, but coffee and bananas saw double-digit growth rates," is Managing Director Hartwig Kirner's positive summing up. The sale of Fairtrade bananas – all certified organic – rose in 2016 by 20.1 percent to a new record of 20,641 tonnes. In the case of coffee with the Fairtrade label there was growth of 16.7 prcent to almost 3,660 tonnes. Fairtrade Austria reports that the raw materials progreamme for Fairtrade cocoa has resulted in a significant rise in sales since 2014.