A Peruvian coffee-grower was the guest of honour at a civic reception at the town hall.

Oscar Salazar grows Fairtrade coffee, which is sold in the UK by Cafédirect, and he was welcomed by Exmouth mayor John Humphreys.

Also in attendance at the event was East Devon MP Hugo Swire, whose current Foreign Office post includes responsibility for Latin America.

Other guests included the manager of the main Co-operative store, town clerk Colin Poole, councillors and church leaders.

The Exmouth Fairtrade steering group invited Mr Salazar to present the mayor with the certificate marking the renewal of Exmouth’s “Fairtrade Town” status.

This will hang in the reception area of the town hall.

Mr Salazar explained the details of coffee production in his Pangoa co-operative, situated high on the edge of the Andes.

John Humphreys said: “Fairtrade gives people a chance to work their way out of poverty.

“The mystery meat scandal has shown just what the race for the cheapest rock-bottom prices can do. Fairtrade is just the opposite – all about quality and integrity of sourcing.”

Councillor Jean Mitchell, who chairs the Fairtrade group, commented on the wide range of support in the town, pointing out that Exmouth Community College is a “Fairtrade School”.

Mr Salazar spent much of the day at the college, meeting pupils from four junior schools, together with a class of year seven pupils from the college.