Cocoa is the essential ingredient that gives chocolate all its flavor and delicacy. But did you know that the cocoa industry faces many challenges, particularly regarding deforestation?
Indeed, the growing demand for cocoa has led to an increase in demand for land to cultivate this valuable ingredient. Unfortunately, this has led to the deforestation of large areas of forests, especially in some regions like Ivory Coast.
To remedy this problem, the European Union adopted new regulations that prohibit the import of cocoa from deforested areas from the end of 2020. This measure aims to encourage more sustainable and environmentally friendly cocoa production.
Ivory Coast, one of the world’s leading cocoa producers, now faces the challenge of establishing a traceability system that will ensure that its cocoa does not come from deforested areas. The Ivorian Coffee and Cocoa Council, in collaboration with ministerial delegates and private industry operators, went to Brussels to promote its traceability system to the European Commission.
The traceability system set up by the Café Cocoa Council makes it possible to track the origin of cocoa, by registering planters and installing digital terminals in cooperatives. At this stage, 70% of Ivorian cocoa can be traced, and the objective is to achieve full traceability by the end of 2024.
However, setting up this traceability system is complex and expensive, which constitutes an additional challenge for Côte d’Ivoire. Industry representatives hope that the European Union will support this transition towards sustainable cocoa, in order to allow Côte d’Ivoire to continue exporting its cocoa to Europe.
It now remains to be seen whether cocoa importers in Europe will be satisfied with the timetable proposed by Côte d’Ivoire and whether they will be ready to buy cocoa in advance, from November/December, in view of the first harvest affected by the regulations. which will be marketed in 2024/2025.
In conclusion, Côte d’Ivoire is making efforts to establish a cocoa traceability system in order to meet the requirements of new European regulations. Traceability will ensure that cocoa does not come from deforested areas. However, setting up this system is complex and expensive, and it remains to be seen whether cocoa importers will be willing to play the game.