Sir – Re the letter from Andrew Coles ‘Why not Fairtrade?’ (February 17).

My experience of Fairtrade is the coffee, which is foul. It is also served at county council’s meetings, and most councillors head to the café, where decent coffee is served.

Fairtrade bananas on sale at a local supermarket are overpriced and second rate.

When I last compared the prices, they were 60p a kilo more than the normal ones. Does anybody believe that the farmer gets an extra 60p, I doubt it!

The real people who benefit are the supermarkets and the Fairtrade company.

I wish the Fairtrade Stasi would leave the town councillors alone. It is not for them to dictate what tea or coffee their staff drink.

If they want to buy Fairtrade, it is up to them.

Steve Hayward, County councillor