1.1 Million Euros For Fairfood’s Fruit Lobby

By Emma Herman | 15 February 2011, 15:45

The Dutch Postcode Lottery will support Fairfood International with an additional 1.1 million euros. This enables Fairfood to encourage the fruit industry to make its practices more sustainable.

The Philippine island Mindanao, also known as The Land Of Promise, has an extraordinarily rich biodiversity. It is one of our planet’s true treasures. The pineapple industry on Mindanao poses a threat to the nature and population of the island. At yesterday’s annual charity gala the Dutch Postcode Lottery awarded Fairfood an additional 1.1 million euros to protect Mindanao, by encouraging pineapple companies to make their production methods more sustainable.

Towards Happy Pineapples
Overused pesticides and fertilizers are polluting the rivers and groundwater of Mindanao. The average wage of the 400.000 plantation workers is around 3 euros per day, which is not enough to support a family. Moreover, labourers are systematically being exposed to unhealthy chemicals used on the plantations. With the additional support of the Dutch Postcode Lottery, Fairfood can encourage corporate responsibility among 50 brand owners in the fruit industry, including the largest and most powerful companies Dole, Del Monte and Chiquita.

The Dutch Postcode Lottery is the largest charity lottery in The Netherlands. By playing the lottery 2.5 million people have raised 270 million euros for charity this year. In 2010 Fairfood International became a long-term beneficiary for half a million euros per year. Fairfood is proud and grateful to have the Dutch Postcode Lottery as a partner.

Photo: Roy Beusker