Fair trade cocoa is purchased at a minimum price and must not promote environmental damage or forced or child labour. It is mainly produced in South and Central America and is often organic and natural. Farmers who sell their cocoa through fair trade organizations are trained in sustainable farming methods and can receive education and health care services. Unfair trade cocoa often involves underpaid farmers and child labor. Fair trade cocoa products can be found in health food stores, specialty markets, and online.
When people buy cocoa and cocoa products from farmers who are paid fairly for their labor, their purchases are known as fair trade cocoa. To be listed as fair trade, cocoa must be purchased at a minimum price or floor price. Furthermore, it must not promote environmental damage or forced or child labour.
Fair trade cocoa is mainly produced in South and Central America. It is typically grown in Belize, Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Cameroon, Bolivia and Nicaragua. Even fair trade chocolate is often organic and natural. Organic cocoa that hasn’t been treated with pesticides is generally more expensive than non-organic cocoa. Although more expensive, cocoa labeled Fair Trade is considered an ethical choice by many people.
Cocoa that comes from fair trade sources is usually available in many different forms. It can be in powder, liquid or solid form. Hot cocoa, candy bars, and even Christmas candy can all be purchased from fair trade sources. Some restaurants even use Fair Trade cocoa in their cuisine.
Farmers who sell their cocoa through fair trade organizations are usually trained in sustainable farming methods. Education and health care services can also be provided for workers. Growers can join a fair trade cooperative to secure their rights. Such farmers are also encouraged to sell their cocoa directly to avoid expensive service charges.
Most of the cocoa produced in the world is not fair trade. Instead, it is often produced by farmers in tropical regions who are underpaid for their crops. Often uneducated and lacking in negotiating skills, these farmers typically don’t receive much revenue from their sales. In countries like Ghana, where cocoa makes up nearly half of national income, this situation can keep many people in poverty.
Another concern with unfair trade cocoa is the common use of child labor on cocoa plantations. Kidnapped and sold through human trafficking, thousands of children are forced to grow cocoa in Africa without collecting wages. Hundreds of thousands of other children, even if not abducted, still have to work in the fields for their families on very little pay. Most are under 14 and out of school, working long hours in often unsafe conditions. These plantations provide cocoa for some of the largest chocolate companies in the world.
Health food stores, specialty markets, and Internet companies often carry Fair Trade cocoa products. When Fair Trade food is certified, it is marked with a black and white international certification seal. These labels mean Fair Trade Federation or Fair Trade Certified.
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