The hidden cost of orange juice | DW Documentary
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
- Brazil is the world’s top supplier of orange juice. But accusations abound of exploitation and poor working conditions for laborers. Are the claims true?
"You work whatever the weather - sunshine, rain, cold, extreme heat. It’s physically exhausting. A sack weighs 27 kilos,” says Alfonso. He’s one of at least 50,000 laborers harvesting oranges for juice production every year from May to December in the state of São Paulo. Each worker is expected to carry at least 1.6 tons of the fruit every day. And that takes its toll. Former trade union leader Abel Barreto says workers often suffer illness and other health problems.
Unions and NGOs have been trying for years to address these issues and weed out the bad apples in the industry. Authorities are also active: public prosecutor José Maturana from the Brazilian Labor Ministry conducts spot checks whenever he can. He reports: "Often, workers aren’t officially registered. Their living conditions are precarious, they have no personal protective gear and no place to have a proper meal.” But for many workers, there is no other choice: the orange harvest is the only way to feed their families.
The reportage takes a rare look behind the scenes of the Brazilian juice industry. In conversation with trade unionists, workers, former plantation owners and representatives of the German juice industry, it explores the question: what cost does the production of our orange juice carry?
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I hope Alfonso was paid by the documentary makers cuz he lost 11 days of wages, that's a significant amount for manual laborers.
i thought the same thing
you know the people making it come from families with half a million in assets at least too lol. they could probably feed his entire family for 5 years on a single month of their pay..
I thought the same thing immediately
I really hope so
They are a professional channel so I guess yeah they compensated him.
His wage is so bad they should pay him 1 year worth.
6:11 I hope DW compensated Alfonso for his loss since it doesn't mean a lot to DW, but it means significantly more to him and his family
Alfonso already knew that there could be consequences when he chose to violate his contract by trying to help DW, therefore, DW aren't obligated to compensate him.
@@gen24677 it's not about obligation, it's about ethics. A small amount of money that DW won't even notice could change his family's lives.
@@gen24677 Of course, nobody is saying they are obligated to. But it wouldn't cost DW much at all to compensate him, if not give more for such a valuable insight and interview.
@@Senju1k13 DW normaly dont Produce Docs. They buy them. This is from a German Public Broadcaster.(WDR)
@@gen24677 If that contract even holds up in court, if looked at closely.
It might be, that the employer is liable for damages due to a fraudulent contract.
I hope they compensated Alfonso for his loss.
No they don't!!
DW are bad people
I was thinking the exact same thing.
They (prbly) didn't.
Chen CO, Rasmussen H, Kamil A, Du P, Blumberg JB. Orange Pomace Improves Postprandial Glycemic Responses: An Acute, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Crossover Trial in Overweight Men. Nutrients. 2017 Feb 13;9(2):130. doi: 10.3390/nu9020130. PMID: 28208806; PMCID: PMC5331561.
Source: NIH
Did they
What a great documentary about an issue we didn't know existed. Thank you dw for the great work letting us see around the globe
This documentary shows that my job I complain about daily is a dream compared to what those workers go through daily and 6 days a week. Mad respect to them all 👏👍🙏✊️💪
Great so can say many ppl working low pay jobs in the West, so we should just show this to them(me too), when we complain that we have "a ok"...lol:(
Like they , in many cases corporations treat workers like we did miners in 1800's...
I am amazed while special interest is making on so many issues, in some cases pushes those issues too far, in my opinion. This kind of real world "wrongs" we just can't seem to fix...:(
No this just means. We are all slaves. In a system that. Controls the outlook of humanity.
Well Said.. DW Deliver Brilliant Documentaries..
This Method with the Filds is not good for the World ,that makes here more as one Psychologic Disorder Visible.
That is for the most People of the World not so good Visible how Big that Problem so is, or how many Problems that in the Future brings.
That what the World here needs is more Food Forrests or more other better Symbiosis Methods.
That or so a Fild is for us O.k, but for the Nature is that more as bad or worse,then taht takes here Freedom.
Even if they work in sub human conditions - it does not make your job ‘good’. Don’t confuse one for the other
Well done again DW. These stories need to be highlighted.
one thing i've learned from being a general laborer (the same type of worker the men in this video are) for almost two decades now is - trying to cut corners and get away with as much abuse to workers as possible is always to be expected. never expect your government will take notice or care about it either. they will look away until the populace is ready to revolt and murder the rich folks and even then they will continue doing as much harm as they can get away with
So you endorse murder?
@@mutiny_on_the_bounty you literally have mutiny in your name, so you endorse it too then?
@@JonnoPlays
They were rounded up and executed. For the mutiny. The ones that were caught.
"The way of the Dao is to for those with much to give to those that have little. Mans way is different, he takes from those that have little and gives to those that have too much." Lao Tzu
Eat the rich.
Avocado, chocolate, palm oil and now orange juice. Seems like nothing is free from exploitation 😔
Bankers seem to be doing ok. =/
It will be this way as long as exploitation is profitable.
Blue berry
Just like the world's most polluted river, I hope this equally stirrs the conversation and relevant actions be taken. I'm so proud of this channel.
Anyone else feels rage towards Ibiapaba Netto? The guy that has no idea whats like to work there on the field but he can represent the companies and can speak for the workers he never saw or met.
It's the same in New Zealand. Growers couldn't get locals to work for them to the point that growers threatened the government to not harvest their export crop. So the government allowed growers to bring in workers from overseas during lockdown, for low wages, long hours, heavy workloads, and substandard shared accomodation.
Labor exploitation. Happens in the States, happens all over the world. How? Why? Bec the governments turn a blind eye to it while illegal immigrants and undocumented workers accept it in exchange for being able to work and live in a foreign country that they perceive to be economically better than their country of origin.
I've picked fruit in NZ. The pay isn't amazing, but it's enough and the working conditions are perfectly acceptable. Sure it's physical work, but that doesn't make it illegal. The accomodation varies from job to job, but it's no worse than some private houses or apartments I've lived in around the world. Also foreign workers have been picking crops in NZ for years already, decades even. I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill and it would be a stretch to compare whats happening in NZ with the exploitation in Brazil.
Isnt that the point of immigrants
Thank you DW for showing determination to preserving interests of working class.
the best documentary channel on youtube
here in crete the oranges are mostly left to fall to the floor as its not financially worth picking, transporting and selling them. many owners are ripping perfectly good, healthy trees up in favour of avocados because thats the latest trend and they can make a bit more money from them. its so sad. even the cheeses in the supermarkets (not local butchers etc) say they are made in crete but in reality the milk is bought from the balkans as its cheaper.
Well yes, what else do you think they should,d have done? Operate at a loss and still charge more?
🤲🙏🤲🤲🤲✌
🤲🙏✌
@@aryaaswale7316 avocados come at the cost of available water. I'm a capitalist through and through, but it's better to have long term vision rather than thinking of fast profits
Someone has secrets to hide! When will companies understand that if you take care of your staff, they will take care of you.
oranges are juiced with the skin on ..so anyone who buys and drinks bottled/boxed orange juice also drinks pesticides. it unfortunatelly applies almost to every fruit and vegetable and cereals ..as for the working conditions, it also applies to all workers accross the agro industry ..
They are washed before.
That's quite unfortunate. But I think the European Union still maintains high standards regarding food, food packaging, and the amount and type of pesticides used as compared to say the United States. Nevertheless, there is much we don't know about food produced and packaged on an industrial scale.
@@richardbyarugaba1365 Yet the EU does nothing about Bayer, and Monsanto that Bayer owns.
Interesting. Thank you DW🙏
DW thanks for all the work you guys do, we need to pressure these companies in Europe to do better.
Labor exploitation. Happens in the States, happens all over the world. How? Why? Bec the governments turn a blind eye to it while illegal immigrants and undocumented workers accept it in exchange for being able to work and live in a foreign country that they perceive to be economically better than their country of origin. In the States, even those who work as caregivers, dishwashers, laborers, household help, nannies are illegal immigrants or undocumented workers who are exploited by their employers.
DW makes my favorite documentaries-superb content!
I was cutting up Oranges in Florida when i noticed the box was from California. I said WTF, the boss says, we send ours to them...Now thats a hidden cost right there.
8 hrs a day, company transport, wage better than average for zero qualifications, work in the outdoors sounds like a good deal. I think the reporter is trying for a story where there is non. Life can get a lot worse.
When I worked in the Amazon warehouse during Christmas periods, I came across people from all over the world, who actually liked the job and said it was good working conditions compared to back home
And let's be honest Amazon will work you at a demanding pace.
Everything in this world is relative. The way you see the world depends on your point of view and context
@@lassipls It could also be fair to say ; That God helps those that help themselves.
@@lassipls , you are wrong! Not everything in this world is relative!
While that is true, it doesn't mean we should allow the bar to be set low. There's still a huge profit margin in treating workers right.
Between this and Avocados, I’m running out of food that I think are ethically sourced.
There is no ethical consumption under capitalism...
An excellent analysis💯.
Many small things/ point are highlighted.
A good documentary by DW.
Here in Southern California we have sidewalks littered with able bodies who waste away on drugs and alcohol. I have so much respect for agriculture workers.
"Here in Southern California we have sidewalks littered with able bodies who waste away on drugs and alcohol. I have so much respect for agriculture workers."
If there is anything this documentary would have taught you with its demonstration of how these workers face firing for the flimsiest of reasons, it's that there is only a single step between being a worker exploited by a company and ending up homeless on the street. Maybe you should try and engage a few more braincells in analysing the system that produces both of these categories of people, before attacking the latter for their misfortune. Disgusting.
i look at things differently, i will never understand greed. when i look at a rich person i think that person is good for the economy, i like people to be rich cause they prove their competence and therefore deserve it but i dont understand when these people make their employees suffer just to make a little more on their bottom line. Dont you want your workers to love you and respect you instead of cursing you at every moment?
These people did not gert rich by being nice and not gaming the system. Most of the time there is serious tax evasion and tax avoidance going on. All the while the workers who bring in the funds to make them rich are treated like shit and as a disposable commodity. Like oranges. When the climate changes to a point where wars are started over water we will see a change. Till then its bleed your workers dry and hope you die before the climate change really sets in and fucks up world food supplies.
I have an orange tree. It is hard to pick an orange because the thorns. It’s very sharp.
I do not find orange juice or any juice as essential necessity for my life. I gave up all juices, yes even those fruits smoothies, many years ago. They are extremely expensive and full of the sugar. Plus, all packed in plastic bottles 🤦♀️I replaced it with tap water and teas. Does not really miss it.
As long as we all desired ,,fresh,, and ,,cheap,, juices we will support creation of jobs with such atrocious working condition.
But the alternative is no job - all civilisations starts like this. You can`t go from doing nothing to enter a top notch job like we have in the market capitalistic technologically and culturally advanced West. 40 years ago I got 3 euros an hour as an apple picker in a Danish plantation. That was nice, but those wages are only possible in a highly developed economy.
Your the boss DW when it comes to documentries
After watching this, I realized I have a lot to be thankful for.
And we all know the final destination of those products ! Please know that when you are drinking your orange juice without any qualms someone has endured major suffering for this juice to be available on the shelves.
Us humans are a really threat both to the planet and ourselves. Great documentary. The same goes for basically everything imported from much poorer countries (coca, coffee). The workes get unfortunately exploited. Who’s to blame? Farmers? Suppliers? Supermarkets? Politicians?
Yes, I think that the corporations who buy the "rights" to exploit the lands, and the politicians who allow them, are at the biggest fault.
Did u really said poorer countries then may be you don't know how poor are suffering in rich countries as well.
Capitalism
Greediness?
Middle men, rich people not wanting to spend money, capitalism, greed & mainly EXPLOITATION!
I like your documentaries, DW.
We are so spoiled. I expected a glass of orange juice from a day! Possibly one a week with appreciation for those who provided it0.
This seems like a crude remark, but why is it always the supervisor that looks like that 09:35
One thing I've noticed about the quality of the oranges I come across in the supermarket nowadays is they most often taste very sweet, especially those grown in Florida. I found those that come from South Africa more natural tasting and not so pricey.
I live in Cape Town, South Africa, and the Western Cape has a mediterranean climate so lots of citrus fruit varieties are grown here. Our fresh produce is delicious and safe to eat. Many people, even some of my neighbours, grow edible products in small raised boxes or anywhere in the garden, like tomatoes, lettuce and many have fruit trees even if we live in suburbia. Oranges trees were first planted and brought here by the Dutch in the 1600's. In fact on a farm called Hexriver in the Olifants River valley an original seedling tree is still producing oranges a few hundred years after being planted there. It has been declared a national monument. It is said that oranges from the Olifants River valley are the best of the best.
The Floridian orange is superior, good to hear.
My goodness does DW ever make a bad documentary? You guys are the best!
You should come to croatia and make a documentary ,that problem in brasil is nothing compare to this
250€/month for that HEAVY work.. and those hours, Not to mention all the risks involved...
Like snakes ....
In Tanzania orange growing is very dangerous because of venomous snakes... Note that they also feed on fruits!
I saw this video before, only it took place in Florida.
Orange juice pickers isn't an easy job to have..I know people that do and it's no joke..long days 🍊
I would say most fruit/vegetable jobs aren't easy. Pruning, thinning, harvest, etc. Further down the line is sorting and packing.
It takes practice to be good at it. Many people, from Samoa for example, go to New Zealand or Australia to work in this area specifically. It pays good money, compared to the wages at their home. I guess this type of relationship between humans (someone is doing something tedious, while other enjoy the results) has been around since a long time.
The human race still needs to learn a lot.
It's orange pickers, you don't pick orange juice.... picking is hard work, I'm sure the juicing part is much easier....
The director @11 minutes into video needs to pick oranges for atleast 2-3 months; I am sure he will understand what field workers go through
dw always the best when it comes to documentary.
Same I feel so bad for these people. God has blessed me with a job indoors and I am thankful.
Very informative and useful film👍
This is award winning coverage. Thank you.
Everyday stay with Documentary of DW is a extremely happy time, because I can relax myself and gain some view of the planet. Also I can learn English speaking .
42mins is a very priceless investment for myself.
And also thank you, DW TEAM.
Thank you for watching and for your lovely words, Daniel. Have a nice day!
Good work done 👍❤️❤️❤️
DW DOCUMENTARY: Was Alphonso compensated by DW, or whomever produced the documentary?
Great documentary. It made me remember of the Grapes of Wrath by Jonh Steinbeck. In my opinion, pesticides are the biggest concern, and safety precautions should be put in place and followed. Spraying pesticides should be scheduled on a day when orange pickers are not working or vice versa. In other words, workers should take that day off because of the "Spraying Pesticides Day." A much healthier fruit with no pesticides would be much better utilizing natural pests control like the wasps in that laboratory. But then orange pickers could get stung while working. There's indeed a lot of challenges ahead. Better work conditions with safety are always welcomed.
Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!
Those wasps are harmless to humans. And you are completely right. The companies need to take care of their people and their products with more sense and ethics!
Picking fruit, no matter what country you are in is difficult hard labor long hours. Florida to Michigan and California. Cherry pickers ended picking cherries by hand. But if your 70 or so you may have eaten fruit I have picked. Take care. Stay safe.
33:03 how come use is banned, but production is allowed? volume of production should be capped, then this loophole should be closed.
American actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, a star of the Seinfeld Show is related by blood to the Dreyfus Corporation founder, Leopold Dreyfus. If you see her eating at Katz Deli in New York City perhaps you could politely ask her to make inquiries in regard to the Brazilian citrus workers.
where can i buy 'fair trade' ?
They should have a track with bins that move as they are filled, so the workers aren't wasting time and energy moving them. I think that would be a great time saver
My 17 year old son goes through a half gallon of OJ every couple of days. If he only knew of the effort it requires to produce that bottle.
Don't forget the exploitation of people for coco, sugar and ev batteries.
How do you allow your son to consume so much liquid sugar ?
How can you allow your underage child to consume that much sugar?? Sounds like negligence to me
He does it because you permit it.
Haha thanks for all the parenting advice. He is a skinny teenager and I can afford the $4.50 every couple of days so who cares?
i hope you DW Documentary took it upon yourself to pay Alfonso for those 11 days, you are indirectly responsible for him not being paid.
Incredible documentary
What most people don't realize is how interconnected everything is. The working conditions are one thing, and no doubt we are all against the abuse of these workers.
But if the workers had to collect half the oranges only, for the same salary, and did it in better working conditions, and all procedures were as they should be, the orange juice would easily cost twice as much... And the same goes with every goods grown/produced in 3rd world countries.
No doubt it is great to be an idealist, but for the amazing life we have here in the "Western world", with an ability to purchase so many things from our wages, someone on the other side of the planet always has to pay the price... Sadly that's the way it has always been, and always will be, until a breaking point arrives--which may be sooner than we think.
Such documentaries and such ways truly makes one ponder what slaves went through for centuries nonstop! Any society that has tasted the practice of slavery finds it difficult to abandon the ways completely but just reforms the practice to suit the era!
There is a joke in Malaysia and Singapore saying if you aren't smart but you would still like to earn well, you could move to Australia to pluck fruits and I'm studying in Germany now and I was shocked when my German friend told me his brother moved from Germany to Austrlia to pluck fruits. His brother lives alone and enjoys Australia.
From the sugar plantation to the citrus farms nothing has changed-same people are involved.
Precisely. That's what I am saying here. Brazil is still a slaveowning society in spirit.
Sad state of affair! Why must people suffer so much just to earn an honest living? Strength to you Alfonso and all those affected
The global orange juice market was equal to 27.65 billion USD (calculated in retail prices) in 2014. Until 2024, the juice market in the world is forecast to reach 32.04 billion USD (in retail prices), thus increasing at a CAGR of 1.82% per annum for the period 2019-2024. 2:34
Source: Business Wire
Afonso will be surprised to read this... he is still young and could become a big businessman in the near future. Go Afonso, go ahead. Good luck! 8:38
All fruits are own-price elastic with the exception of bananas which are slightly inelastic, but not significantly so. Apples, pears, and bananas are expenditure inelastic while oranges, grapes and other fruits are expenditure elastic.
Elasticity is a general measure of the responsiveness of an economic variable in response to a change in another economic variable. The three major forms of elasticity are price elasticity of demand, cross-price elasticity of demand, and income elasticity of demand.
Sources: CFI; CORE ac uk
This kind of punishment, of 11 days seems pretty awkward, especially in the State of Sao Paulo.
I don't understand foreigners who think southern Brazilians and paulistas are more civilized. They vote for Bolsonaro. This happens because Brazil still has a slavery mentality and they see Northeastern Brazilians with that mindset. Hell, even poor white people from their own city, but specially the Northeasterners. A lot of hate speech goes around every year as they vote for left-wing candidates en masse in there.
I wish if everything could be done in moderation. Now it’s hard to find daily essentials which is not “mass-produced” and “wasted”
Cheap labour is a global problem, but undermining the health of workers is at an evil level of the game.
A good practice of any business is to give back to your community and enhance it.
Billions are made and the community does not shine.
Crooks are what these companies are and not businesses.
An eye-opener and educational documentary. It is also very sad. Sad because orange pickers are treated so poorly.
I hope DW paid Alfonso his lost income. This is shocking. Less than $300 a month with such horrible conditions.
BY Abu Saeid and Maruf Ahmed - November 3rd, 2021
Citrus Fruits: Nutritive Value and Value-Added Products
Nowadays, citrus pulp/pomace, seed, and peel are used for various commercially valuable products such as food ingredients, pectin, essential oils, enzyme production, a natural antioxidant, and packaging film formation. 38:18
Source: IntechOpen
The vitamin C in oranges helps your body in lots of ways: Protects your cells from damage. Helps your body make collagen, a protein that heals wounds and gives you smoother skin. Makes it easier to absorb iron to fight anemia. Studies have shown that fiber helps the body maintain digestive health and may lower your risk of conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer.
Source: WebMD
You guys compensated afonso right?
Why don’t u send him $.
Since DW want hidden side of everything. I want a documentary on how much DW staffers especially those who do menial jobs(sweepers, cleaners, drivers,,, ) are getting paid to find hidden cost of making documentary.
*wants to remain anonymous at all costs*
*documentary shows him, his hair color, style, stature, etc*
33:44 If you put brazil northwest of Europe it could be confused with Greenland. The shape is roughly similar.
Labour conditions such as these are similar to those faced by those who do similar jobs in my country Uganda.
German growers are also suffering from Parkinson disease
The harsh truth about these kind of system.. if they raise their minimum wage.. or increase expenditure for the workers.. the price is than transfer to the customers.. the backlash is that customer might don't like it and pick another kind of brand.. or drink less juice overall.. as long there is no cap on how much profit a company can make, this will keep happening... BUT if they do make a cap, it raise even more problems down the line.. it is harsh but it is reality..
If you don't want to pay for it don't drink orange juice.
Brasil is the last country to end the Africa slave trade
What a great movies. That reminds me when I was young. that was before 25 years ago. I worked that job. Really it was hard work. dirty and a little gain.
the worst thing on this planet is not a sore loser, its a sore winner
its time for me to continue the generosity bet again time to pick up where my parents and their friends left off i may not be able to touch everyone's lifes but i promise i'll try my hardest to make a small change in as many lifes as i can
funniest thing is most people think orange juice is healthy, its not even close to being as healthy as just eating....orange.
Eh. You can just eat a salad and drink juice with it. Fiber is easily replaced.
7:03 75% of world export from Brazil
9:21 8 bags/hour
10:28 minimum wage: 200 euro
what happened to the fruit on the ground ? will they pick up too?
Also make a documentry about mango juice
Similar cases abound in most plantations
I did such a job in 2009-2012
As someone from California; their oranges look very low quality.
if the picker is poor, if the farmer doesn't do enough money, then who is putting all the money in his pocket? We pay about 5$ for a 2L of Orange Juice that taste like battery acid...
I minimise buying food produced in other countries, and I don't drink juice unless I squeeze local fruit. Eat local if possible. In my country fruit pickers use 20kg bags.
I have a countrymen who work in Australia as a fruit picker the company were not giving them any personal gear but they only provide themselves, the good thing is they're paid by box and they're not allowed to carry more than what your body not allowed because there's a tractor to carry the fruit, $70 per box and the couple earned $3,200 a day, it depends upon the kind of they're picking of because some of the fruits are seasonal but they pick all year round, in that kind of company laborers suffers labor injustice what they do to the company, I think they have no benefits to enjoy after all
aha 3200 a day. Lets all become fruit pickers.
Claiming your rights will be what gets your killed or fired too.. this is so sad
How to apply orange 🍊 picker
Modern day slavery = Uber
I wouldn't worry a lot about Afonso. If the company did anything illegal or made him sign an abusive contract or any other misconduct that guarantees a win at the court, there will be lawyers queuing at his door to defend him for free + 30% of what they obtain at the end. And this works surprizingly well.
Why do Brazilian petit-bourgeois small fry always believe you guys are in the same position as international corporations? Such short-sightedness.
This documentary makes me think about not drinking orange juice anymore.
Me too
Did you pay Alphonso for the 11 works days that he was sanctioned?
Still the same bitter fruit. Choose what you buy wisely.
Are there not 3rd party evaluations and certifications for working conditions in place for these farms? Something like SEDEX or other globally accepted organizations that audit and interview their working conditions?
Brazil is heavily oligarchic as a country that used to be a slave colonial society. Elite interests being put into question is seen as communist bullshit and a threat. Our society is conservative and invested into such backward notions. So they will never be obliged by law to disclose anything, and regulation will stay sparse even though on paper our working rights are wonderful. They're just used to make it harder for people to set up small businesses with endless bureaucracy. Vicious cycle. Terrible country.