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DFID to increase funding for Fairtrade products by 150 per cent

Four images courtesy of Fairtrade Foundation. Clockwise from top left: Worker carrying bananas in Dominican Republic, a bar of Divine chocolate, a Sri Lankan worker picking tea and lastly Fairtrade orangesSales of Fairtrade products for 2004 are likely to be confirmed in excess of £130 million, maintaining the 40+% growth seen over recent years. In fact, the UK recently overtook Switzerland to become the biggest Fairtrade market in the world.

Those sales add up to more than just good business. The External linkFairtrade Foundation (FTF) helps farmers and other producers to earn a decent living and obtain good healthcare and education. It's making a real contribution towards helping poor people to help themselves out of poverty. 

DFID has been a key partner in that success, and is committed to helping Fairtrade build on that success.

Which is why, at the start of External linkFairtrade Fortnight (March 1-13, 2005), Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for International Development, is announcing funding of £750,000 for the FTF.

It is an increase of 150 per cent on the Department for International Development's (DFID) previous contribution of £300,000. bringing DFID's total support to over £1 million between 2002 and 2007.