Cargill’s cash boost for farmers
Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate business has made the second of its annual sustainable certified cocoa premium payments to 26,500 farmers across 21 cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire.
The payments mark another step in its commitment to build a sustainable cocoa supply chain and support cocoa farmers, says the company. Over 50 per cent of the payments go directly to farmers, with the remainder used by cooperatives to provide assistance to their members and to build local community facilities. These latest payments follow the first sustainable premiums paid by Cargill to farmers last year.
Farmers are receiving the premium payment for the delivery of 20,000 tonnes of UTZ Certified and Rainforest Alliance cocoa between October 2010 and May 2011. This represents approximately 10 per cent of Cargill’s total bean sourcing in Côte d’Ivoire. The cooperatives obtained certification following participation in Cargill’s farmer training programme for certified cocoa in 500 Farmer Field Schools across the cocoa growing regions.
“We are pleased that with our support farmers and local communities in Côte d’Ivoire are benefiting from these premiums,” says Cargill’s Harold Poelma. “The premiums are a clear indication that farmers are adopting more sustainable practices and that the availability of sustainable beans, and cocoa products, for our customers continues to grow.”
