The Darker and Bitter Side of Chocolate
November 12, 2007 | Category: Fair Trade
By Kat Vaughan
Many of us like chocolate and some of us are even addicted to chocolate. Chocolate can be very comforting, like a hot chocolate during a cold day, a piece of chocolate cake after dinner, chocolate kisses on Valentine's Day, and chocolate mousse on that special date. Before you run off to raid your pantry, I'd like to tell you another side of chocolate, the darker and bitter side of chocolate, where child labor, corruption and accusations have given rise to war.
The Ivory Coast produces 40% of the world's cocoa beans, a whopping $1.4 billion industry, according to the International Cocoa Organization. Sadly, farmers in rural areas earn a third less than government set levels, about $0.55 per 2.2 pounds. The farmers are so poor they don't even have the ability to take their beans to Abidijan, the nation's capital and economic center, where they could fetch a better price. In addition, and more alarming, is the war that rages within the Ivory Coast because of the economic disparity of villages harvesting cocoa beans. It has become a very ugly business, where people are mercilessly killed and children are forced to pick beans instead of going to school, just so you and I can indulge in the sweetness of our addictions.
So what do we do about this? Some say, "Stop eating chocolate, it will be good for the Ivory Coast and good for the waistline". I agree. However, for those chocolate addicts who just can't stop the nibbling, buy fair trade chocolate at Divine Chocolates or Equal Exchange. By eating fair trade chocolate, you can indulge your cravings while doing good. Delicious!
Many of us like chocolate and some of us are even addicted to chocolate. Chocolate can be very comforting, like a hot chocolate during a cold day, a piece of chocolate cake after dinner, chocolate kisses on Valentine's Day, and chocolate mousse on that special date. Before you run off to raid your pantry, I'd like to tell you another side of chocolate, the darker and bitter side of chocolate, where child labor, corruption and accusations have given rise to war.
The Ivory Coast produces 40% of the world's cocoa beans, a whopping $1.4 billion industry, according to the International Cocoa Organization. Sadly, farmers in rural areas earn a third less than government set levels, about $0.55 per 2.2 pounds. The farmers are so poor they don't even have the ability to take their beans to Abidijan, the nation's capital and economic center, where they could fetch a better price. In addition, and more alarming, is the war that rages within the Ivory Coast because of the economic disparity of villages harvesting cocoa beans. It has become a very ugly business, where people are mercilessly killed and children are forced to pick beans instead of going to school, just so you and I can indulge in the sweetness of our addictions.
So what do we do about this? Some say, "Stop eating chocolate, it will be good for the Ivory Coast and good for the waistline". I agree. However, for those chocolate addicts who just can't stop the nibbling, buy fair trade chocolate at Divine Chocolates or Equal Exchange. By eating fair trade chocolate, you can indulge your cravings while doing good. Delicious!
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