Cocoa: Ivory Coast and Ghana rebel against two American chocolate makers

Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire account for over 60% of world cocoa production.

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Hershey's and Mars, two American companies in the chocolate industry, are drawing the wrath of Abidjan and Accra.

The Ivorian and Ghanaian regulators of the cocoa sector accuse them of undermining the efforts made to raise the incomes of peasant producers.

The two multinationals have "temporarily" changed their suppliers, in order to escape the financing of the decent income differential, a bonus intended for cocoa farmers.

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Number one and two in world cocoa production, Ivory Coast and Ghana in 2019 obtained from multinational chocolate companies a bonus of $ 400 per tonne, called the

.

This premium has been applied since the start of the 2020-2021 campaign, that is to say since October 1, 2020. But for their December supply, Hershey's and Mars have turned to certified term warehouses.

A maneuver that allowed them to escape payment of the premium, the beans concerned having been produced before the entry into force of the agreement imposed on multinationals by Abidjan and Accra.

The same goes for deliveries for the month of March 2021.

► To read also: The American chocolate giant Hershey challenges the African cocoa giants

Abidjan and Accra fear that other manufacturers are sourcing elsewhere

The behavior of the two companies is not prohibited.

But it aroused the incomprehension of the Conseil Café-Cacao and Cocobod.

Ivorian and Ghanaian regulators have expressed their indignation by letter.

Why does the Mars group, one of the initiators of the

, and which is therefore supposed to defend the promotion of the well-being of small producers, in particular West Africa, want to keep the peasant in poverty?

The two regulators are also worried about the future, some manufacturers may turn to other suppliers, even if Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana still represent 62% of world production and the quality of their beans is recognized by the major chocolate groups.

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