Chocolate prices

Prix du chocolat

regis2015

Hello, After reading the excellent article in Le Temps on 28.10.2021 entitled "La désillusion des producteurs de cacao" (The disillusionment of cocoa producers), I immediately wrote to Migros to ask them to pay a fair price for cocoa, for example 3 times more than at present, as the producers are demanding. Migros, as Switzerland's number 1 retailer, could put pressure on the middlemen and create a range of chocolate bars, such as the delicious Frey" brand, made from this chocolate, and pass on this fair payment in the sales price. Such a product would certainly appeal to a clientele concerned with social and environmental peace, and sensitive to these contemporary issues. Migros can do it, I'm convinced. Best regards.

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All replies (1)

M-Infoline

Hello regis2015, thank you very much for your message. I think it's very important that our consumers take an interest in the well-being of producers. The problem of working conditions in West Africa is well known to us. The problems are not just low incomes, but also child labor, deforestation, old plantations, monoculture and many other challenges. The issues are very complex, and the solutions not simple. One way of addressing these challenges is to buy certified cocoa and pay a premium. Another is to set up a project to improve the situation of producers. We have a partnership with the Necaayo cooperative in Côte d'Ivoire. All our cocoa beans from Côte d'Ivoire come from the Necaayo cooperative. We visit the cooperative regularly, talk to the producers, learn about the challenges and try to find solutions. One major challenge is the small size of the estates. Many growers have an area of less than 4 ha. For a plantation to be profitable and to earn a sufficient income, you need a minimum size. This is the case not only with cocoa, but with all crops worldwide. So even if the price of cocoa is three times higher, a grower with a plantation that's too small won't earn enough. The solution is to rejuvenate cocoa plantations and plant more productive cocoa varieties to increase cocoa productivity on a smaller area. Then it would be necessary to diversify the plantation and plant other crops for additional income, but also to improve ecological services and biodiversity. This would enable farmers not to be solely dependent on cocoa, but to have an income all year round. One way of addressing the challenges and implementing the solutions mentioned above is to set up an agroforestry system. This is exactly what we are doing with the Necaayo cooperative in Côte d'Ivoire. More information on this project can be found on the Myclimate website: https://www.myclimate.org/fr/sinformer/projets-de-protection-climatique/detail-des-projets-de-protection-du-climat/cote-divoire-foret-7930-019/. Best regards, Noemi

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