Cocoa – sweet dreams are made of this

Cocoa only grows in the warmest regions of our planet - in the equatorial countries around the globe. Constant warmth and high humidity are important preconditions for good cocoa quality. The cocoa tree makes optimum use of any light available and has been traditionally grown in the shade. Its natural environment is the Amazonian forest, which provides natural shade trees. Shading is indispensable in a cocoa tree's early years.

A large quantity of cocoa comes from the West African countries, where cocoa with fairly high yields is grown. Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana account for almost 60% of global cocoa production. Today, the other main exporting countries are Indonesia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Brazil, Ecuador and Malaysia. In 2006, the world's total production of cocoa beans was approx. 3.6 million tonnes. About two thirds of global cocoa production are used to produce chocolate and confectionery, but cocoa is also used in cosmetic products such as creams and soaps. Cocoa powder is used on a large scale by other food industries too, as an ingredient in drinks, desserts, ice creams, spreads, sauces, cakes and biscuits.

Cocoa is grown in many countries that are typified by low or very low gross domestic product (GDP) per head – often with poor infrastructure and communications. Its production is characterised by the predominance of small farmers, with an estimated 95% of annual world cocoa production derived from smallholdings ranging from one to three hectares in size. Furthermore, the sector is characterised by price volatility declining prices in real terms, low productivity on farms, and immense crop losses due to pests and diseases. However, the global demand for chocolate has continued to grow, with expanding markets for cocoa.

(Sources: ICCO, Infozentrum Schokolade)