Thursday, May 16, 2013

Chocolate: From Cacao to Cocoa


World Chocolate Production
Country Metric Tonnes Percentages             Comments
Côte d'Ivoire 1,242,300 29.3% Listed are the top five countries that harvested cacao beans in 2010, with most cultivation and production by small farmers (estimation of 95%).  There are approximately 6 million cacao farmers supporting the livlihood of 50 million people.
Indonesia 810,100 19.1%
Ghana 632,037 14.9%
Nigeria 427,800 10.1%
Cameroon 264,077 6.2%

Sources: 2010 data per "World Cocoa Foundation statistical report via http://top5ofanything.com/index.php?h=c60de433.   
                   
Other major cocoa producing countries are: Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, Ecuador and Mexico; with a total of 40-45 countries involved in production.  90% of cacao is cultivated on the continent of Africa, representative of $3-$4 billion (USD) in sales each year.  In 2012, approximately 39% of all cocoa production originated in Côte d'Ivoire, wherein cocoa production has increased to an estimated 1.5 - 2 million tonnes yearly, sustaining 700 thousand growers - their livlihood depends of cacao!

In addition to falling prices received from the sale of cocoa production, small farmers are also confronted with changing weather conditions (global warming is a real threat) and other environmental discrepancies, such as, aging trees, dwindling forestation/land, and crop diseases.  The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) and Alliance of Cocoa Producing Countries (COPAL) are organizations that were created to assist in the resolution of common problems and mediation of mutual interests to countries involved in cocoa production.

Source: Chart from UNCTAD based on International Cocoa Organization 2005-2006 forecast.


A chocolate tip from Equal Exchange: ["What Is The Difference Between "Cacao" and "Cocoa?"  "Cacao" is the bean that comes from the cacao tree, which is known by the scientific name of Theobroma cacao. Cacao pods - large football-shaped fruits - grow off the trunk and limbs of the cacao tree, and cacao beans are found inside the pods.  The beans are harvested, fermented and dried. They are then cleaned and roasted, after which point the products are often referred to as "cocoa." In other words, "cocoa" is what the bean is called after it has been processed.]  This is a direct quote from website noted below. 









If I had to pay a little more for chocolate so that farmers around the world could provide for their families - have a decent livlihood by cultivating cacao, I would most definitely do so.  But, of course I would expect the chocolate manufacturers and multinational corporations to do their part in providing a fair price for a very good product; capitalistic greed sometimes gets in the way of fair trade.  I think we, chocolate lovers, should hold MNCs accountable to fair trade practices of chocolate, as there are dire consequences - farmers who replace their cacao crop with a more profitable one.  

There are agencies / intergovernmental organizations that objectify cocoa markets and engage in projects to enhance marketing capabilities within cocoa producing countries.  The Common Fund For Commodities (CFC) is one such organization.   http://www.common-fund.org/projects/project/improvement-of-cocoa-marketing-and-trade-in-liberalising-cocoa-producing-countries-c-2010/

Less cacao cultivation and cocoa production means less chocolate for us - and life would be very dull without chocolate.  Let's enjoy our bounty of chocolate while we have it!