YORK shoppers will be shocked to learn that as a result of unfair EU sugar policies they pay about three times the world price for sugar, with the surplus helping to line the pockets of monopoly sugar processors such as British Sugar or Tate & Lyle.
These big sugar companies, along with a few big farmers, profit while efficient farmers from developing countries are pushed out of the market.
Three of the world's poorest countries, Mozambique, Malawi and Ethiopia, are estimated to have lost £130 million in potential earnings from sugar since 2001 because of barriers to trade in Europe.
Meanwhile British Sugar raked in profits of £187 million last year, thanks to the European Union's guaranteed high prices.
This sugar scandal sees us produce far more sugar than we can consume in Europe. Then EU taxpayers subsidise the dumping on developing countries each year of the five million tonnes of sugar we don't need, at prices which make it difficult for them to sell their own produce.
Anyone who wants to bring some sense into this topsy-turvy system should go to www.maketradefair.com and join Oxfam's call for the EU to take the bitter taste out of its sugar.
Kit Bird,
Oxfam,
Goodramgate,
York.
Updated: 11:26 Wednesday, May 05, 2004
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article