Background on Chocolate

Most of our chocolate comes from the Ivory Coast region of West Africa, where cocoa production is an enormous part of the economy. In Ghana, 40 percent of the country’s export revenues come from the sale of cocoa. Unfortunately, very little of the profit goes to the farmers who grow the cocoa beans. Cocoa farmers receive about a penny for a candy bar selling for 60 cents.

In fact, the difficulty in making a living at cocoa farming has spawned an increase in child and even slave labor drawn from poor neighboring countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin and Togo. Children and other workers are forced to work long days picking and processing cocoa beans (it takes 400 of these pods to make just one pound of chocolate). Very few of the children have the opportunity to attend school.

Fair Trade cocoa offers farmers an opportunity to make a real living. The Fair Trade Certified production criteria guarantee a minimum price and insure that no child or forced labor is used.

This article, more information on Fair Trade and sweatshop free products, and ideas on where to shop, can be found at http://www.newdream.org/consumer/cocoa.php