Estimates place the number of West African cocoa farms at 1.5 to 2 million, with more than 4.5 million cocoa farms worldwide. In those countries where climate conditions are favorable, cocoa farming is a widespread activity – and an important source of income.
How much cocoa does West Africa produce?
West Africa collectively supplies two thirds of the world’s cocoa crop, with Ivory Coast leading production at 1.8 million tonnes as of 2017, and nearby Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Togo producing additional 1.55 million tonnes.
How many cocoa farmers are there?
There are 5 million to 6 million cocoa farmers who rely on the cocoa bean for their livelihood. The cocoa bean grows. Farmers grow cocoa trees on small farms in tropical environments, within 15-20 degrees north and south of the equator.
Where are cocoa farms located?
Cocoa beans are produced in tropical zones around the Equator, where climate conditions are well suited for growing cocoa trees. About 70 percent of the world’s cocoa beans come from four West African countries: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon.
How much of the world’s cocoa bean crop is grown in West Africa?
This simple method explains that some six million ha of the West African forest zone are planted with cocoa, which provides about 70 percent of the total world production. At present Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana are the largest producers followed by Nigeria and Cameroon.
Which country produces the best cocoa beans?
Ecuador. Ecuador is home to some of the best cacao beans in the world. Only approximately 5% of cacao in the world is labeled as “Fine Aroma,” and Ecuador produces nearly 63% of it.
Who is the largest producer of cocoa in the world?
Production in Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa bean producer, should grow by 2.3 percent a year from 1.2 million tonnes of the base period to 1.6 million tonnes in 2010, and account for 44 percent of global cocoa production due mainly to the increased foreign direct investment followed by the market …
How much money does a cocoa farmer make?
Many cocoa farmers earn less than $1/day. Farmers are often unable to bear the costs of cocoa farming, turning instead to child labour.
Why are cocoa farmers paid so little?
As a result of low yields due to poor farming practices, aging trees and limited access to inputs such as fertilizer and planting materials. The average cocoa farmer’s income is significantly below the World Bank’s extreme poverty line of USD 1.
Is growing cocoa profitable?
As mentioned before, growing cocoa in India as a profitable crop is possible when inter-cropping is done scientifically. According to some calculations, a farmer can earn up to Rs 60,000 per acre of land along with coconut, from which he can earn Rs. 30,000 per acre.
What is the best cocoa in the world?
Rare cacao varietals such as Nacional and Porcelana have been found in parts of northern South America, and many people regard those as some of the best cocoa beans in the world. The Caribbean island of Trinidad only grows trinitario cacao, a highly flavorful type of cacao developed on the island hundreds of years ago.
Where is the best cocoa in the world?
The Ivory Coast and Ghana are by far the two largest producers of cocoa: together they cultivate more than half of the world´s cocoa. These two are followed by other cocoa producing countries like Indonesia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Brazil and Ecuador.
Where did cocoa originally come from?
It was first domesticated 5,300 years ago, in equatorial South America, before being domesticated in Central America by the Olmecs (Mexico). More than 4,000 years ago, it was consumed by pre-Hispanic cultures along the Yucatán, including the Maya, and as far back as Olmeca civilization in spiritual ceremonies.
How many children work on the West Africa cocoa farms?
Monday’s report cut the estimate of the number of children currently working in cocoa production in the two countries to 1.56 million, from more than 2 million in the April study, saying it had changed the ways it weighted its data. It did not give comparative totals from 10 years earlier.
Which country is most famous for chocolate?
Switzerland is well-known for its chocolates and principal chocolate manufacturers. The production of chocolate is an important source of wealth for the country.
What is the fat of cocoa beans called?
Cocoa butter, also called theobroma oil, is a pale-yellow, edible fat extracted from the cocoa bean. …