The Fairtrade Foundation said many cocoa farmers in West Africa, where 60% of cocoa is grown, are living in poverty and unable to pay for essentials such food, medicine or schooling for their children despite the chocolate industry being worth £4 billion in the UK.
In a report to launch Fairtrade Fortnight, the organisation says farmers could live a decent life for £1.86 a day, the average price of a large bar of chocolate, and argues that living incomes are key to ensuring the future sustainability of cocoa.
It said women cocoa farmers had fewer rights than men and rarely owned land, therefore receiving even less of the profits, but worked in the fields and did the “lion’s share” of labour involved in bringing crops to market.
Fairtrade is raising the price it pays for cocoa by 20% in October.
But it said just 6% of cocoa globally was Fairtrade-certified and is calling for collective action from the Government, industry and consumers.
The Fairtrade Foundation is calling on the government to join the German government’s Living Income Task Force, make living incomes a priority for UK aid and incorporate living income into Government Business and Human Rights policies.
It is also urging chocolate companies, traders and supermarkets to commit to sourcing their cocoa on Fairtrade terms as a first step and committing to ensuring that cocoa farmers receive a living…
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