Top Cocoa Producers in 2023: Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Ecuador
Whether it be on Valentine’s Day or White Day (on which men reciprocate gifts to women in response to Valentine’s Day in some Asian countries), chocolate is typically given as a sweet, romantic treat. Below are some facts on cocoa and chocolate.
According to the International Cocoa Organization in November 2024, the projected global cocoa production for the 2023/2024 year was 4.382 million tons. 3.103 million tons (71%) came from Africa, followed by 1.005 million tons (23%) from the Americas and 0.275 million tons (6%) from Asia and Oceania.
The top producers were Ivory Coast at 1.740 million tons (just under 40% of the global total), followed by Ghana (0.480 million tons), and Ecuador (0.385 million tons).
In the Ivory Coast, there are concerns of cocoa farms operating on protected land (such as national parks and forests). In 2023, the country lost 194 kha (about 479,000 acres) of natural forest, which is equivalent to about 166 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, according to the Global Forest Watch.
Dark chocolate has over 35% cocoa solids, which contains theobromine, a substance toxic to dogs. Milk chocolate has about 20% to 30% cocoa solids, and butyric acid is added to American milk chocolates for a slightly sour taste. White chocolate does not contain any cocoa solids but has cocoa butter, sugar, and milk.
According to a 2022 paper by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg on chocolates in Germany, there is not much difference in environmental impacts among milk, white, and dark chocolate.
For those interested in vegan (or dairy-free) chocolate, the Food Empowerment Project, a “vegan food justice” nonprofit organization, has a list of recommended companies for their vegan chocolate options.
Sources:
https://www.icco.org/wp-content/uploads/Production_QBCS-L-No.-4.pdf
https://hir.harvard.edu/bittersweet-the-harsh-realities-of-chocolate-production-in-west-africa/
https://www.ifeu.de/fileadmin/uploads/ifeu_paper/ifeu_paper_2_Schokolade_2022_eng_HLK.pdf .
https://biobeat.nigms.nih.gov/2020/02/the-chemistry-of-chocolate/
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