Follow The Money: Why Cocoa Farmers Stay Poor as Chocolate Prices Surge

Even during one of the biggest price spikes in decades, many farmers saw little to no financial gain, the report reveals. This paradox sits at the heart of a growing crisis in the global cocoa industry.

A recent investigation by Dutch media outlet Follow the Money reveals that, while extreme weather, disease, and supply shortages drove cocoa prices to record highs in 2024, the farmers who produce the crop remained trapped in poverty. The reasons lie not just in nature – but in policy.

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