“fool's game”?

Cocoa: Chocolate manufacturers and supermarkets, the big winners far from Africa

In depth
This article is part of the dossier: Cocoa War: Farmers vs multinationals

By Estelle Maussion
Posted on Thursday, 12 January 2023 09:32

Despite a standoff imposed by Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, chocolate manufacturers and distributors maintain a firm grip on the industry and the price paid to producers.

This is part 2 of a 5-part series

It’s like the battle of David vs. Goliath… which, for the time being, is being won by the giant. This tug-of-war pits, on one side, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana – the world’s first and second largest cocoa producers – and the ‘brown gold’ industry on the other, as the former seek better remuneration for their farmers. Although all the players agree on the need to pay farmers better, so far it has been impossible to agree on how to go about it.

READ MORE Côte d'Ivoire - Ghana: Farmers vs multinationals in cocoa war

As a result, the system that has been in place for decades perdures: a chocolate industry favouring the final links in the chain – chocolate makers and supermarkets – to the detriment of the first, the cocoa farmers.

Also in this in Depth:
tug-of-war

Côte d’Ivoire – Ghana: Farmers vs multinationals in cocoa war

As the world's largest and second-largest suppliers of cocoa beans, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana have started a tug-of-war with the giants of the chocolate industry to obtain better remuneration for their cocoa farmers. It is likely to be a long battle.

success

Cocoa Wars: Can farmers reclaim their power through cooperatives?

In Côte d'Ivoire, several cocoa growers’ organisations are leading the way by betting on certification and direct relationships with chocolate manufacturers to improve their income. A revolution in the making.

laissez-faire practices

In the cocoa sector, ‘governments don’t have the means to implement their own policies’

For François Ruf, a researcher and economist, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana must control their bean production if they are to have any chance of winning their battle with the industry over growers' wages.

the bean contention

Côte d’Ivoire – Ghana: Why cocoa farmers remain brown gold’s poor relation

Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana are trying to use their position as major players in the world cocoa market to obtain better remuneration for their farmers. It’s a legitimate, but uphill battle. Here's a visual overview of the situation.

Digital subscription
Digital subscription

Give yourself a headstart:
Get full access to The Africa Report on all your devices.