PALESTINE FAIR TRADE ASSOCIATION 

The Palestine Fair Trade Association (PFTA) is the largest fair trade producers union in Palestine, with over 1400 small-scale Palestinian farmers joined in fair trade collectives and cooperatives across the country. Collectively our farmers produce the traditional olive oil and food delicacies from Palestine, and sell them internationally to buyers and markets not available to an individual farmer. Fair Trade means social and Economic Empowerment – a dignified living for farmers who have not access to the outside word for over 40 years. We revitalize farming traditions and a culture of sustainability by linking the traditionally organic farming methods of Palestine to modern organic/ecological movement and markets. Our farming communities befit from living wages paid to farmers and producers, the fair trade reinvestment in the community through the payment of social premiums to cooperatives above the price, and the cooperatives and collectives that are established along the production process serve as vital community organizations can address other issues of common interest.

 

OUR STORY

Fair Trade cooperatives in Palestine bring back traditions lost in modest of conflict. They reintroduce a new spirit in to the work ethic of the villages and renew the social values and ties weakened by conflict. Farmers receive organic and fair trade premiums over sustainable fair trade prices. The PFTA contracts with its members, fair trade exporter Canaan Palestine, which established modern processing and storage facilities and contributes to our social empowerment programs as well as other community development programs that they initiated. Every one of our cooperatives /collectives has a history. Our farmers and women cooperatives members want the word to know that the simple act of buying a bottle of olive oil from PFTA’s exporter and distributors around the word helps Palestinian families like theirs survive and maintain their connection to their land and their ancient olive trees.