Tag: cocoa

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Some Background on Cocoa Pests and Diseases

Throughout the blog, I have mentioned the fickle nature of the cocoa tree. It is prone to diseases and a ready target for various pests. These become especially pronounced when the trees age and when farms are replanted. Many of the articles I cite as sources for my posts also mention these problems. So here’s a run down on the most common problems the cocoa tree faces.

The information below is taken from the Ohio State University Integrated Pest Management web site and from a website organized by R. Bateman of the Imperial College in London. One caveat: the latter website is advocating for the use of pesticides and supported by the big names in the industry. In no way do I advocate for or endorse  the purpose of that website. Continue reading “Some Background on Cocoa Pests and Diseases”

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Pre-oil Boom In Ghana’s Takoradi Port

Takoradi, the port city halfway between Ghana’s capital Accra and the Ivorian capital of Abidjan is buzzing with lots of new activity. And no, it’s not the planned boom in cocoa exports–Ghana is planning to reach cocoa exports of 1 million tons by 2010/11–it’s the expectation of an oil boom that is pushing up real estate prices in the city and causing a boom in construction and renovation.

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Cargill Opens New Cocoa Processing Plant in Ghana

Several news sources reported the opening of a new cocoa processing plant in Tema, Ghana. The Cargill plant will process about 65,000 tons of cocoa beans annually to produce chocolate liquor, cocoa powder and cocoa butter.

Ghana’s president Kufuor presided over the inauguration giving an indication of the significance the plant holds in the eyes of Ghanaian authorities. At the moment, Ghana processes 298,000 tons (about 40 percent of its cocoa bean production) domestically and exports the processed materials. The new plant will increase that amount substantially.

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Child Labor Update

Last week, the Payson Center of Tulane University published its second annual report evaluating public and private initiatives to combat the worst forms of child labor in the cocoa sectors of Ghana and the Côte d’Ivoire. These reports are produced under a contract with the U.S. Department of Labor.

The report concludes that

  • Children in the rural areas continue working in cocoa production and in other agricultural and economic activities, some as young as 5 years of age.
  • A large percentage of the children working in cocoa report involvement in hazardous work and injuries while performing agricultural tasks, including the use of tools and equipment, carrying heavy loads, and exposure to environmental hazards. Some children are also involved in spraying pesticides and in the application of other chemicals. Some of these activities have been classified worst forms of child labor by the Governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
  • There is little evidence of the unconditional worst forms of child labor in the cocoa sector – child trafficking, forced labor, etc. – as a percentage of the population. However, there is evidence of child trafficking to Côte d’Ivoire from neighboring countries.
  • Of note in the Tulane’s population-based survey of Nov/Dec 2007 was that the vast majority of children in the cocoa-growing areas – 95% in Ghana and 98% in Côte d’Ivoire (weighted data) – do not report exposure to any intervention projects in support of children in the rural areas. While these children may still benefit from interventions indirectly and without their knowledge, these percentages are low enough to merit further field validation (Second Annual Report, page 10).

Continue reading “Child Labor Update”