What is the cocoa belt?
The cocoa belt is an area of land around the equator between 20 degrees latitude north and south. Most cocoa even grows within 10 degrees of the equator. The soil has to be fairly loose and the climate humid. Cocoa trees must not receive too much sun, nor too much shade.
Where is the cacao belt located?
The Cocoa Belt essentially follows the tropics, extending twenty degrees north and south of the equator. Much like their parent trees, cocoa beans need constant warm temperatures in order to thrive – usually between 65 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit – along with high humidity and ample rainfall (40-100 inches annually).
Why are cocoa farmers paid so little?
Farmers are often unable to bear the costs of cocoa farming as a result of low incomes. In turn, they employ children, who miss out on education, are exposed to hazardous working conditions, and get paid little or no wages. The extent of cheap and child labour in Chana and Côte d’Ivoire.
Can I grow a cacao tree?
Cacao Care. Cacao trees are not easy to grow, especially if you want to cultivate them outside of their natural environment. Occasionally growers keep them as houseplants. But it is very difficult to provide them with the proper light and humidity levels indoors, and they often won’t ever produce seed pods.
Are cocoa trees illegal?
The Ivory Coast is the largest producer of cocoa beans, providing more than one-third of the world’s supply. Cocoa is, of course, the main ingredient in chocolate. Growing cocoa is not illegal, but growing it in a national forest reserve is.
How much do cocoa farmers earn a day?
The average female cocoa farmer is paid as little as 23p a day, highlighting a gender pay gap in the global chocolate industry, according to Fairtrade. That figure is well below the extreme global poverty line of £1.40 a day, and average farmer pay rate of 75p a day.
Who sets the price of cocoa?
Cocoa is traded on New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in London. The prices in New York are based on the South-Asian market and prices in London are based on cocoa from Africa. The size of each cocoa contract on the NYMEX is 10 metric tons.
How much money does a cocoa farmer get per chocolate bar?
Cocoa farmers receive just 3% of the retail price of a chocolate bar, according to Oxfam. Campaign Group Make Chocolate Fair puts the figure higher at 6% of the price of an average 100 g chocolate bar, but claims farmers received 16% in 1980.
How long does cacao take to grow?
about 5 years
It takes about 5 years (from seed) for a cacao tree to grow mature and start producing cacao pods.
Where does cocoa grow in the cocoa belt?
The cocoa belt is an area of land around the equator between 20 degrees latitude north and south. Most cocoa even grows within 10 degrees of the equator. The soil has to be fairly loose and the climate humid.
What kind of tree does cocoa beans come from?
Cocoa beans, or cacao beans, come from the Theobroma cacao tree. The Theobroma cacao tree is a fruit tree, whose name means “food of the gods”.
How are cocoa products transported in the world?
The sacks or containers are stored in warehouses or are directly transhipped to the cocoa processing industry. Also, in the modern silos of today cocoa blends can be produced to the client’s specification. Transport is by road, rail or water. Apart from the logistical side, warehousing and inspection companies have other important functions.
How is the price of cocoa beans determined?
The world price of cocoa is determined by the futures market. Without having to conduct personal meetings, buyers and sellers are able to conclude contracts about future deliveries of cocoa beans on the so-called futures market.