Analyze The following text:

Is Fair Trade a Fair Trade-Off?

Do you know where chocolate comes from? It comes from cocoa, which is produced by roasting and grind- ing the almond-sized beans that grow on cacao trees. More than 40 percent of the world's cacao-bean supply comes from small farms scattered throughout the West African nation of Ivory Coast, which may ship as much as 47,000 tons per month to the United States.

According to reports issued at the end of the 1990s by the United Nations Children's Fund and the U.S. State Department, much of the labor involved in Ivory Coast cocoa production is performed by children, chiefly boys ranging in age from 12 to 16. Most of them have been tricked or sold into forced laborslavery many by destitute parents unable to feed them.

How did enslaving children become business as usual in the Ivory Coast cocoa industry? Because fully one-third of the country's economy is based on cocoa exports, Ivory Coast is heavily dependent on world market prices for cocoa. Unfortunately, cocoa is an extremely unstable commodityglobal prices fluctuate significantly. Profitability in the industry, therefore, depends on prices over which farmers have no control. This problem is compounded by unpredictable natural conditions, such as drought, over which they also have no control. To improve their chances of making a profit, they look for ways to cut costs, and the use of slave labor is the most effective money-saving measure.

This is where the idea of "fair trade" comes in. Fair trade refers to programs designed to ensure that export-dependent farmers in developing countries receive fair prices for their crops. Several such programs are sponsored by Fairtrade Labelling Organi- zations International (FLO), a global nonprofit network of fair-trade groups headquartered in Germany. Here's how it works: FLO partners with cooperatives repre- senting cocoa producers in Africa and Latin America to establish certain standards, not only for the produ- cers' products but also for their operations and socially relevant policies (such as enforcing anti-child labor laws and providing education and healthcare services). In return, FLO guarantees producers a "Fairtrade Minimum Price" for their products. Since 2007, FLO has guaranteed cocoa farmers a price of $1,750 per ton. If the market price falls below that level, FLO guar- antees the difference. If the market price tops $1,750, FLO pays producers a premium of $150 per ton.

Where does the money come from? The cost is borne by the importers, manufacturers, and distribu- tors who buy and sell cocoa from FLO-certified produ- cers. These companies are in turn monitored by a network of FLO-owned organizations called TransFair, which ensures that FLO criteria are met and that FLO- certified producers receive the fair prices guaranteed by FLO.

What incentive encourages importers, manufacturers, and distributors not only to adopt FLO-TransFair stan- dards but also to bear the costs of subsidizing overseas producers? They get the right to promote their chocolate

products not only as "fair-trade" but also, often, as "organic" productsboth of these categories typi- cally command premium retail prices. In fact, organic fair-trade chocolate products are priced in the same range as luxury chocolates, but consumers appear to be willing to pay the relatively high asking pricesnot only for organic products but also for all kinds of chocolate products bearing the "Fair Trade CertifiedTM" label. TransFair USA Chief Executive Paul Rice explains that when consumers know they're supporting programs to empower farmers in developing countries, sellers and resellers can charge "dramatically higher prices, often two to three times higher." Consumers, he says, "put their money where their mouth is and pay a little more."

A 3.5-ounce candy bar labeled "organic fair trade" may sell for $3 49, compared to about $1 50 for one that's not. Why so much? Because the fair-trade candy bar, says TransFair USA spokesperson Nicole Chettero, still occupies a niche market. She predicts, however, that, "as the demand and volume of Fair Trade-certified products increase, the market will work itself out... . [R]etailers will naturally start to drop prices to remain competitive." Ultimately, she concludes, "there is no reason why fair-trade [pro- ducts] should cost astronomically more than tradi- tional products."

Some critics of fair-trade practices and prices agree in principle but contend that consumers don't need to be paying such excessive prices even under current market conditions. They point out that, according to TransFair's own data, cocoa farmers get only 3 cents of the $3 49 that a socially conscious consumer pays for a Fair Trade-certified candy bar. "Farmers often receive very little," reports consumer researcher Lawr- ence Solomon. "Often fair trade is sold at a premium," he charges, "but the entire premium goes to the middlemen."

Critics like Solomon suggest that sellers of fair- trade products are taking advantage of consumers who are socially but not particularly price conscious. They point out that if sellers priced that $3 49 candy bar at $2 49, farmers would still be entitled to 3 cents. The price, they allege, is inflated to $3 49 simply because there's a small segment of the market willing pay it (while farmers still get only 3 cents). Fair-trade programs, advises English economist Tim Harford, "make a promise that the producers will get a good deal. They do not promise that the consumer will get a good deal. That's up to you as a savvy shopper."