Barry Callebaut, one of the world's leading manufacturers of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products, has reported that it paid premiums of €2.4 million to 45 cocoa cooperatives and more than 12,000 farmers in Côte d'Ivoire for Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa.
The farmers and cooperatives received the premium payments for the delivery of more than 15,000 metric tonnes of certified cocoa during the 2011/12 cocoa season. Half of the premium goes to farmers and the other half is retained by the cooperative.
The premium payments were presented at an event in Côte d'Ivoire's capital, Yamoussoukro, yesterday (23 August) with local officials and dignitaries, representatives from government ministries, cooperative leaders and farmers in attendance. "This event marks another important milestone in Barry Callebaut's long history of working in partnership with farmers in Côte d'Ivoire to improve yields and quality while growing cocoa in a sustainable way," said Steven Retzlaff, president global sourcing & cocoa, Barry Callebaut. The cooperatives honored at the event are primarily located in Bas-Sassandra, currently the country's biggest cocoa producing region.
"We are proud to recognize these cocoa farmers and cooperatives in Côte d'Ivoire who are working to conserve biodiversity, to prevent soil erosion and water contamination, and thereby safeguard their land and natural resources for future generations," said Mercedes Tallo, Director of Sustainable Value Chains at the Rainforest Alliance. (24 Aug)
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