Easy to say from a comfy UK existence. But, if it isn’t literally “slave labour”, then working on a sugar plantation must be better than whatever else, if anything, is on offer.
The fact that there are worse conditions to live and work in doesn’t actually justify it though?Easy to say from a comfy UK existence. But, if it isn’t literally “slave labour”, then working on a sugar plantation must be better than whatever else, if anything, is on offer.
Incidentally the five largest sugar producers are Brazil, India and China, Thailand and the USA. As far as I am aware slavery is not a current problem in any of these
Not so sure we can claim there's no slavery issue in China's Uyghur population: https://www.business-humanrights.or...-xinjiang-based-on-evidence-of-forced-labour/Incidentally the five largest sugar producers are Brazil, India and China, Thailand and the USA. As far as I am aware slavery is not a current problem in any of these
Actually no, poor growing conditions last season combined with wider worldwide restriction of (previously) preferred herbicides (and in particular) insecticides (such as neonic's) has markedly affected yields > supply > price. Good old market forces. Yields down from an estimated 1.1 million tonnes to around 880,000 to 900,000 tonnes caused by poor growing conditions and Virus Yellow. 2020 yields have also promoted a number of north European growers to switch out of beet into other crops such as wheat, causing a price spiral. This could have a further impact from autumn 2021 onward of perhaps +10-15% on prices. Source NFU Sugar Board bulletin, Spring 2021
Really? you do lead a sheltered life (or maybe I don't) what is sweated labour but a hair's breadth away from slavery?Incidentally the five largest sugar producers are Brazil, India and China, Thailand and the USA. As far as I am aware slavery is not a current problem in any of these
Sorry I don’t understand this comment at all. So are you saying a manual labourer anywhere in the world, including the UK, is nearly slave?
How can you check that?
I only buy British sugar normally silver spoon brand. So its grown and processed in the east of england, where I live I do this partly because, while not perfect, I know british agriculture is regulated and all the beet growing farmers I know do significant conservation work( which my bees benefit from as a bonus). On my travels in south America, Asia africa and Caribbean I have seen some examples of good sustainable agriculture that supports local communities I have also seen (from the air) huge tracts of rainforest slashed burned and planted with crops. I think with a global commodity like sugar unless buying from UK grown and processed it is very hard to ensure where your sugar has come from. I will continue to buy british when it comes to sugar to support the farmers who support me and to ensure that me feeding my bees is not inadvertently supporting habitat destruction in other parts of the world.
Tate&Lyle (the one all the cane sugar fans get weak at the knees about) aren't even a British company any more - wholly American owned and there have been serious concerns as to how 'fair' their 'fair trade' practices are. Not to mention the pesticides they seem to slather everything in seeing controls are so lax over there
I do find it "interesting" how a lot of bee keepers take exception to cheap imported honey but don't seem bothered about the source of the sugar they buy in quantity to feed their bees. Ethics vs Economy swings differently when you are a seller (gaining the ethical £) compared to when you are a buyer ( having to spend the ethical £) I guess.
Many years ago George Tate ( father was on the board) was a friend. BF and I visited the country estate during the scorcher of 1976.
We used to berth at the old Tate and Lyle wharf at Huskisson dock in Liverpool, we still hat to climb over the molasses pipeline to get to quayside.
The fate of William huskisson always tickles me, by this time he was out of favour with the cabinet and insisted on attending the inaugral day of the Liverpool Manchester railway, so the first day of an exclusively steam driven railway. He jumped out of his carriage to ingratiate himself with the Duke of Wellington and was promptly run over by Stevenson's rocket!! so he achieved a double first!
First commercial steam rail journey and first steam railway fatality!!
