(Agence Ecofin) - In the cocoa sector, the fight against poverty among producers remains a real challenge. Faced with this crucial question, producing countries and companies are required to collaborate at a time when NGOs accuse the two parties of inaction.
The Côte d'Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI) reiterated on Monday, November 21, its call for an effective payment by companies of the Decent Income Differential (DRD) and a positive origin differential in order to to improve producers' incomes.
If in a joint press release, the Coffee-Cocoa Council (CCC) and Cocobod recognize the efforts made by the industrialists, they believe that an overall movement must still take shape in the ranks of the actors to show "that 'they sincerely believe in sustainable cocoa production ".
These various announcements come as the two regulators had set a deadline of November 20 for companies to recognize the DRD of $400 per tonne of cocoa or risk having their sustainability programs suspended and no longer accessing plantations to carry out crop forecasts.
According to public bodies, since this ultimatum issued at the beginning of this month, a meeting took place on November 18 between the stakeholders " to take stock of the current situation ".
This approach led to the establishment of a working group made up of representatives of producing countries and industrialists who will work on a long-term sustainable price mechanism. This committee under the auspices of the CIGCI should provide recommendations by the first quarter of 2023.
Source : Agence Ecofin