The Russian Federation on 1 October 2010 signed the International Cocoa Agreement 2010, the United Nations Treaty Section has confirmed.
Click here to see the official notification of signature to the Agreement from the United Nations.
Pictured: Mr. Vladimir Tkachenko, Director of the Department of International Organizations of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, signs the Agreement at the UN Headquarters in New York
London, 30 September 2014 — Graced by the presence of the Ivorian Minister of Trade, the Ecuadorian Vice Minister of Agriculture and Ambassadors from Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador, the 90thmeetings of the World Cocoa Council and its subsidiary bodies addressed a number of issues of relevance to the future of the cocoa sector and of the ICCO itself, at the Holiday Inn, Wembley, London, 15-18 September 2014.
A meeting of the recently expanded Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy initiated proceedings, with private sector and civil society representatives tackling subjects as varied as the recent World Cocoa Conference in Amsterdam, the need for a global cocoa resource base and the necessity for openness and transparency in addressing the issues of the Global Cocoa Agenda.
The Board meeting also included a live presentation relayed from Agrocalidad in Ecuador by Mr. Rommel Betancourt, updating members on continuing talks aimed at setting safe and practical limits for cadmium content in cocoa and chocolate. Another report, from Dr. Philippe Bastide of French research agency CIRAD, looked at cocoa-based farm models.
The main Council’s work began with the election of spokespersons for both the exporting and importing countries. As a result, Mr. Aly Toure of Côte d’Ivoire now represents the producing countries, while Mr. Conradin Rasi of Switzerland speaks for the consuming nations.
The Council was shown a film of the facilities of the venue in Bávaro, Dominican Republic, which is to be put at the disposal of the ICCO for the third edition of the World Cocoa Conference, and the representative of the Dominican Republic, Dr. Jose Antonio Martinez, explained that, among other highlights, the President of his country, H.E. Mr. Danilo Medina, would give the inaugural address. The Council agreed with the proposal that the Conference would be held alongside the March 2016 meetings of the Council, its subsidiary bodies and of the Consultative Board, and the dates have now been set at 14 – 19 March 2016. Speaking on behalf of the government of the host country, H.E. Dr. Federico Cuello, Ambassador to the UK of the Dominican Republic, said that the third edition of the Conference would be a positive and memorable event for the whole sector.
The Council also reminded its members of the existing ICCO initiative promoting of 1 October as World Cocoa and Chocolate Day, when the sector is celebrated worldwide. Indeed, a number of ICCO members, including Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nigeria announced their own celebrations due, or already taking place on or around that day, to complement the events already scheduled in consuming country nations including France and the UK.
A number of internal and housekeeping matters occupied the Council during the meetings, but the week also saw meetings of the Organization’s Economic and Administration and Finance Committees and a number of new officers were elected.
The International Cocoa Council itself named Mr. Enselme Gouthon of Togo as its Chairman, with H.E. Mr. Luis Valverde of Ecuador as Vice Chairman, both for the cocoa year 2014/2015 beginning on 1 October.
Mrs. Miriam Okwabi of Ghana is to take over as Chairman of the Administration and Finance Committee, with Mr. Odon Pallaof Spain as Vice Chairman, both to serve for the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 cocoa years.
On the Economics Committee, Mr. Henk de Jong of the Netherlands is the new Chairman, while Mr. Corneille Tabalo of the Democratic Republic of Congo is Vice Chairman, also both to serve for the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 cocoa years.
The expanded Consultative Board of the World Cocoa Economy also released a list of its members for the 2014/15 and 2015/16 cocoa years (available to download here), and a Chairman and Vice Chairman of that body will be elected in due course.
The next ICCO Council and subsidiary meetings, including that of the Consultative Board, are to take place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 23 – 27 March 2015. The Ivorian Minister of Trade, H.E. Mr. Jean-Luc Billon (right), told the Council that his government attached great importance to the international cocoa economy, and that his country would be pleased to welcome the Council members to Abidjan next March 2015, and to ensure that the meetings would be a great success.
A cocktail reception was kindly offered by the Government of Côte d’Ivoire for the Council members, while the Ambassador of Sweden, H.E. Ms. Nicola Clase, kindly welcomed the Council members to her Residence for a reception in honour of outgoing Council Chairman Ms. Anna Tofftén (left). At the reception, ICCO Executive Director Dr. Jean-Marc Anga thanked Ms. Tofftén and presented her with the ICCO’s traditional commemorative golden cocoa pod to mark her year of service to the Organization.
Presentations made at the Meetings (click to download):
Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy:
CB – Item 08 – CB Farm Models 20140915v3
CB – Item 09 – ICCO Ochratoxin A 29th CB Takrama-v3
CB – Item 10 – ECA CAO FCC Joint Quality Productivity Group Update
Economics Committee:
London, 29 August 2014–The International Cocoa Organization today releases its revised forecasts for the current 2013/2014 cocoa year and revised estimates of world production, grindings and stocks of cocoa beans for 2012/2013, as summarized below. The data published in Issue No. 3 – Volume XL – Cocoa year 2013/2014 of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, reflect the most recent information available to the Secretariat as at the end of July 2014.
| Cocoa year (Oct-Sep) |
2012/2013 | 2013/2014 | Year-on-year change | ||
| Revised estimates |
Previous forecasts a/ |
Revised forecasts |
|||
| (thousand tonnes) | (Per cent) | ||||
| World production | 3 942 | 4 162 | 4 345 | + 403 | + 10.2% |
| World grindings | 4 111 | 4 195 | 4 262 | + 151 | + 3.7% |
| Surplus/deficit b/ | – 208 | – 75 | + 40 | ||
| End-of-season stocks | 1 620 | 1 565 | 1 660 | + 40 | + 2.5% |
| Stocks/Grindings ratio | 39.4% | 37.3% | 38.9% | ||
Notes:
a/ Estimates published in Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Vol. XL – No. 2 – Cocoa year 2013/2014
b/ Surplus/deficit: net world crop (gross crop adjusted for loss in weight) minus grindings
Totals may differ due to rounding.
This issue of the Bulletin contains the Secretariat’s revised forecasts for the 2013/2014 cocoa year as well as data for the past four years of production and grindings of cocoa beans, detailed by country. The main features of the global cocoa market are illustrated in colour charts. In addition, the Bulletin includes comments on crop and demand prospects in the leading countries for the current season, and a review of price developments on international markets for cocoa beans during the April-June quarter of 2014.
Statistical information on trade in cocoa beans, cocoa products and chocolate, by country and by region, published in this edition, covers annual data from 2010/2011 to 2012/2013 and quarterly statistics for the period April-June 2012 to October-December 2013. Details of origin of imports and destination of exports for leading cocoa importing countries are also provided. Historical statistics on cocoa trade and consumption, by country and by region, for the period 2004/2005 to 2012/2013 are presented for reference.
Copies of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, including in Microsoft Excel files and in Adobe PDF format versions, can be ordered by completing and returning this form or from the ICCO Secretariat at the address below:
International Cocoa Organization
Westgate House
Ealing
London W5 1YY, UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 8991 6000
Fax: +44 (0)20 8997 4372
E-mail: registry@icco.org or info@icco.org
The International Cocoa Council and subsidiary bodies, including the Economics and Administration and Finance Committees, as well as the expanded Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy, will meet at the Holiday Inn, Empire Way, Wembley, London 23 – 27, September 2013.
Provisional Timetable of Meetings, 23-27 September, Wembley, London, UK
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Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy: Draft Agenda
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The International Cocoa Council and subsidiary bodies, including the expanded Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy, as well as the Economics and Administration and Finance Committees, will meet at the Holiday Inn, Empire Way, Wembley, London, 15 – 19 September 2014.
The meetings will be preceded on Friday, 12 September by a one-day Workshop on Activity-based Budgeting for interested ICCO Member countries at the ICCO offices at Westgate, Ealing, London.
Provisional Timetable of Meetings, 12 – 19 September 2014, Wembley, London, UK
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Amsterdam, 13 June 2014—The second edition of the World Cocoa Conference, organized by the International Cocoa Organization and hosted by the Government of the Netherlands, concluded today with the adoption of the Amsterdam Cocoa Declaration, highlighting the progress made in tackling the cocoa industry’s most serious problems.
The Conference, which ran throughout the week at the city’s RAI Exhibition and Congress Centre, attracted over 1,400 cocoa stakeholders from 55 countries and from all parts of the sector, including farmers, traders, processors, chocolate makers and civil society groups. An Exhibition featured 50 stands representing various cocoa-related organizations and companies, and a series of interactive sessions organized by various 
Dutch-based stakeholders broadened the participation even further.
Among the highlights of the main sessions of the Conference, which featured 100 speakers and panellists from all parts of the globe, were the addresses by Dutch Agriculture Minister, Her Excellency Ms. Sharon Dijksma (pictured top), His Excellency Mr. Jean Louis Billon, Minister of Trade of Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana’s Ambassador to the Netherlands Dr. Joe Tony Aidoo and, representing his country’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries, His Excellency Mr. Javier Ponce Cevallos, was Ecuador’s Vice Minister, His Excellency Mr. Luis Valverde.
Other Conference highlights included a keynote presentation fromICCO Executive Director Dr. Jean-Marc Anga (above, opening the Exhibition with the Mr. Roald Lapperre of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs) suggesting a new method of increasing cocoa farmer incomes; a lively panel session moderated by CNN’s Mr. Richard Quest (right, with speaker Dr. Martin Kra Nguettia Kouakou) looking at the progress in reducing the worst forms of child labour; the presentation of the new World Cocoa Foundationplatform CocoaAction by senior representatives of the world’s largest processors and chocolate manufacturers; and an ‘Inspiration Lounge’ with activities including chocolate painting, chocolate and wine tastings, and a look at the art of the chocolatier.
At the Conference Dinner held at the city’s 17th Century Maritime Museum (below), special awards were presented to Ghana’s best cocoa farmer, as a representative of the entire cocoa producing community; to Ecuador in recognition of that country’s leadership in bringing about a consensual outcome to the issue of the EU Directive on cadmium levels in cocoa, and to Côte d’Ivoire to demonstrate the success that the world’s largest producer had shown in developing a national cocoa plans to further the development goals for the country’s cocoa sector, as recommended by the Global Cocoa Agenda.
The Amsterdam Cocoa Declaration, agreed by the participants at the Conference, looks at the progress made worldwide in maintaining the forward progression toward a fully sustainable cocoa sector and identifies priority areas and actions to be implemented which would allow all stakeholders in the cocoa value chain to equitably share in its benefits.
PROGRAMME OF THE WORLD COCOA CONFERENCE AMSTERDAM 2014
9 – 13 June 2014, Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
To download available presentations, click on the highlighted presenter names below
MONDAY 9 June 2014
13:00 Registration (Onyx Lounge) open
14:00 Exhibition (Hall 3) open
16.30 – 18.00 Exhibition (Hall 3): Official Inauguration of the Exhibition and Reception
18.00 Exhibition and Registration Desk closes
TUESDAY 10 June 2014
PLENARY SESSIONS (AUDITORIUM)
8:00 Registration (Onyx Lounge) open
09:30 Official Opening Ceremony and Welcome Speeches
11:00 Keynote Presentation: The Farmer in the cocoa value chain: How to improve his income?
Dr. Jean-Marc Anga, Executive Director, ICCO (pictured)
12:00 Lunch (Exhibition, Hall 3)
(Interactive Session: Roadmap to ‘Nutrition Secure’ Cocoa Supply Chains–Room G104)
(Interactive Session: The Cocoa Fertilizer Initiative–Room G105)
PLENARY SESSIONS (AUDITORIUM)
From Abidjan to Amsterdam: Progress on the Implementation of the Global Cocoa Agenda
14:00 Panel 1 – Implementation of the Global Cocoa Agenda: Progress by Countries on their National Cocoa Strategies
Moderator: Dr. Joost Oorthuizen, Executive Director, IDH, The Sustainable Trade Initiative
Presentations by Cocoa Exporting Countries:
16:00 Cocoa Break
16:30 Panel 2 – Implementation of the Global Cocoa Agenda: Progress by Countries on their National Cocoa Strategies(Continued)
Moderator: Mr. Philip M. Sigley, Chief Executive, Federation of Cocoa Commerce
Presentations by Cocoa Importing Countries:
17:30 End of day’s session
WEDNESDAY 11 June 2014
PLENARY SESSIONS (AUDITORIUM)
09:00 Panel 3 – Implementation of the Global Cocoa Agenda: The Industry’s Progress, Challenges and Opportunities (Panel Discussion)
Moderator: Mrs. Massandjé Touré-Litsé, Director General, Conseil Café Cacao, Côte d’Ivoire
Presentation: CocoaAction: Mr. Bill Guyton, President, World Cocoa Foundation (pictured)
Panellists:
11:00 Cocoa Break
11:30 Panel 4 – Value distribution from the farm to the chocolate bar (Panel Discussion)
Moderator: Mr. Antonie Fountain, Coordinator, VOICE Network
Panellists:
12:30 Lunch (Exhibition, Hall 3)
14:00 Panel 5 – Progress on global efforts to eradicate the worst forms of child labour in the cocoa sector (Panel Discussion)
Moderator: Mr. Richard Quest, Broadcaster and Journalist, Quest for Business, CNN
Keynote Presentation: Dr. Martin Kra Nguettia Kouakou, Director of Fight against Child
Labour at the Ministry of State, Ministry of Employment, Social Affairs and Vocational
Training and Executive Secretary of the Interministerial Committee for the Fight against child
trafficking, exploitation and child labour in Côte d’Ivoire.
Panellists:
15:00 Panel 6 – Beyond Certification: Improving farmer livelihoods by mainstreaming sustainable cocoa (Panel Discussion)
Moderator: Dr. Jean-Marc Anga, Executive Director, ICCO
Introduction by Mr. Christopher Wunderlich, Coordinator, United Nations Forum on
Sustainability Standards
Panellists:
16:00 Cocoa Break
16:30 Panel 7 – Empowering Cocoa Producers by Strengthening Farmer-Based Organizations (Panel Discussion)
Moderator: Mr. Bertus Wennink, Senior Advisor, Royal Tropical Institute
Keynote Presentation by Mr. Nico Roozen, Executive Director, Solidaridad Network(pictured)
Panellists:
17:30 End of day’s session
CONFERENCE DINNER
Het Scheepvaartmuseum – The National Maritime Museum 19:30
THURSDAY 12 June 2014
BREAKOUT SESSIONS (AUDITORIUM / EMERALD ROOM / ROOMS G102‐G103)
Track 1 Sustainable Production: Transforming Cocoa Farming into a Viable Economic Activity (Auditorium)
The cocoa and chocolate industry has raised concerns that a lack of supply threatens the future of the sector, as productivity has not improved over the years and cocoa farming is not seen as an attractive proposition for the young generation. This session will offer a platform to discuss progress and propose innovative ideas to address this threat, focusing on making the business more financially appealing to farmers.
Moderator: Dr. Martin Gilmour (Research Director, Cocoa Sustainability, Mars Global Chocolate),
Chairperson of the Working Group on Sustainable Production(pictured)
08.30 Moderator’s Introduction: Measuring Progress on the Implementation of Global Cocoa Agenda
09:00 Panel 8 – Improving cocoa productivity and quality through an integrated system
Presentation by Mr. Jonas Mva Mva, Cocoa Program Manager, IDH The Sustainable Trade
Initiative
Panellists:
10:30 Cocoa Break
11:00 Panel 9 – Attracting a new generation of cocoa farmers and addressing gender issues
Presentation by Mr. Omer Maledy, Executive Secretary, CICC, Cameroon (pictured)
Panellists:
12:00 Panel 10 – Protecting the diversity of cocoa and the prospects for fine/flavour cocoa
Presentation by Ms. Ann Tutwiler, Director General, Bioversity International (pictured)
Panellists:
13:00 Lunch (Exhibition, Hall 3)
Track 2 Sustainable Industry Chain: Factors Affecting Farmers’ Incomes (Emerald Room)
Stakeholders involved in the supply side have been raising the alarm that they do not earn a large enough share of the value of the sector and that this threatens its sustainability, with farmers and their governments now turning to other crops. This session will bring together the various parties involved in the cocoa value chain to review major market constraints and discuss opportunities to create more value at origin.
Moderator: Mr. Michiel Hendriksz (Director of Sustainability, ADM Cocoa), Vice-Chairperson
of the Working Group on Sustainable Industry Chain
08.30 Moderator’s Introduction: Measuring Progress on the Implementation of Global Cocoa Agenda
09:00 Panel 11 – Improving market efficiency and transparency
Presentation by Mr. Samuel K. Gayi, Head, Special Unit on Commodities, UNCTAD (pictured)
Presentation by Dr. Christopher Gilbert, Professor of Econometrics, University of Trento (pictured)
Panellists:
10:30 Cocoa Break
11:00 Panel 12 – Adding Value to Cocoa at origin
Presentation by Mr. Edward George, Soft Commodities Specialist, Ecobank
Panellists:
12:00 Panel 13 – Financing the Cocoa Sector
Presentation by Mr. Kofi Adomakoh, Head of Project Finance and Export Development,
Afreximbank
Panellists:
13:00 Lunch (Exhibition, Hall 3)
(Interactive Session: Value Distribution and Living Income—Emerald Room)
Track 3 Sustainable Consumption: Trends and Actions in Response (Rooms G102-G103)
Demand growth from mature markets is back, but is characterized by more stringent food safety
constraints. Appetite for chocolate products in emerging markets is expanding, and origin countries are also looking at opportunities to develop their own local markets. This session will discuss these trends and how they affect the long term supply and demand equilibrium of the cocoa sector.
Moderator: Dr. Torben Erbrath, (Managing Director, BDSI, Association of the German
Confectionery Industry), Chairperson of the Working Group on Sustainable Consumption
08.30 Moderator’s Introduction: Measuring Progress on the Implementation of Global Cocoa Agenda
09:00 Panel 14 – Managing the supply deficit
Presentation by Mr. Laurent Pipitone, Director of the Economics and Statistics Division, ICCO
Panellists:
10:30 Cocoa Break
11:00 Panel 15 – Promoting cocoa consumption in emerging markets and origin countries
Presentation by Mr. Shi Yuping, Chairman, Wuxi Huadong Cocoa Food Co, China (pictured)
Panellists:
12:00 Panel 16 – Food safety in the cocoa sector: how best to help producers comply and influence legislation?
Presentation by Ms. Isabelle Adam, General Secretary, European Cocoa Association (ECA) (pictured)
Panellists:
13:00 Lunch (Exhibition, Hall 3)
PLENARY SESSIONS (AUDITORIUM)
Strategic Management: Working together towards a sustainable cocoa economy
This session will bring together key parties involved in the preparation of the Conference to discuss the outcome of the various sessions of the event and to agree on how they can better cooperate on specific issues.
Moderator: Dr. Jean-Marc Anga (Executive Director, ICCO) Chairperson of the Working Group on
Strategic Management
14.30 Moderator’s Introduction: Measuring Progress on the Implementation of Global Cocoa Agenda
Panel Discussions:
Panellists:
16:30 Cocoa Break and End of day’s session
FRIDAY 13 June 2014
PLENARY SESSION (AUDITORIUM)
Conclusion of the Conference and Closing Ceremony
10:30 Presentation by Mr. Achille Bassilekin, Assistant Secretary General, Sustainable Economic Development and Trade Department, African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)(pictured)
11:00 Adoption of Recommendations – Amsterdam Cocoa Declaration
11:30 Closing remarks
12:30 Press Conference
London 30 May 2014–The International Cocoa Organization today releases its revised forecasts for the current 2013/2014 cocoa year and revised estimates of world production, grindings and stocks of cocoa beans for 2012/2013, as summarized below. The data published in Issue No. 2 – Volume XL – Cocoa year 2013/2014 of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics,reflect the most recent information available to the Secretariat as at the middle of May 2014.
| Cocoa year (Oct-Sep) |
2012/2013 | 2013/2014 | Year-on-year change | ||
| Revised estimates |
Previous Forecasts a/ |
Revised Forecasts |
|||
| (thousand tonnes) | (Per cent) | ||||
| World production | 3 929 | 4 104 | 4 162 | + 233 | + 5.9% |
| World grindings | 4 083 | 4 178 | 4 195 | + 112 | + 2.7% |
| Surplus/deficit b/ | – 193 | – 115 | – 75 | ||
| End-of-season stocks | 1 640 | 1 547 | 1 565 | – 75 | – 4.6% |
| Stocks/Grindings ratio | 40.2% | 37.0% | 37.3% | ||
Notes:
a/ Estimates published in Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Vol. XL – No. 1 – Cocoa year 2013/2014
b/ Surplus/deficit: net world crop (gross crop adjusted for loss in weight) minus grindings
Totals may differ due to rounding.
This issue of the Bulletin contains the Secretariat’s revised forecasts for the 2013/2014 cocoa year as well as data for the past four years of production and grindings of cocoa beans, detailed by country. The main features of the global cocoa market are illustrated in colour charts. In addition, the Bulletin includes comments on crop and demand prospects in the leading countries for the current season, and a review of price developments on international markets for cocoa beans during the January-March quarter of 2014.
Statistical information on trade in cocoa beans, cocoa products and chocolate, by country and by region, published in this edition, covers annual data from 2010/2011 to 2012/2013 and quarterly statistics for the period January-March 2012 to July-September 2013. Details of destination of exports and origin of imports for leading cocoa exporting countries are also provided. Historical statistics on cocoa trade and consumption, by country and by region, for the period 2004/2005 to 2012/2013 are presented for reference.
Copies of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, including in Microsoft Excel files and in Adobe PDF format versions, [media-downloader media_id=”2514″ texts=”can be ordered by completing and returning this form “]or from the ICCO Secretariat at the address below:
International Cocoa Organization
Westgate House
Ealing
London W5 1YY, UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 8991 6000
Fax: +44 (0)20 8997 4372
E-mail: registry@icco.org or info@icco.org
London, 27 May 2014 — Richard Quest, the well-known CNN television business broadcaster and journalist, is to moderate a panel at the World Cocoa Conference in June in Amsterdam.
Having fronted an in-depth documentary for CNN’s Freedom Project, Cocoa-nomics, originally broadcast earlier in 2014, Mr. Quest is to moderate the panel looking at global efforts to eradicate the worst forms of child labour in the cocoa sector.
Mr. Quest previously interviewed farmers, top government officials and senior industry figures as part of the Cocoa-nomics project.
British-born Mr. Quest is one of the foremost international broadcast journalists in the business sector, and he hosts the CNN programme Quest for Business from New York every weekday.
The World Cocoa Conference, which runs 9 – 13 June at the RAI Convention Centre in Amsterdam, is set to attract over 1,000 participants from all over the world and across the entire spectrum of the industry, taking in farmers, traders, the cocoa and chocolate industry, governments of producing and consuming countries, as well as NGOs and civil society.
At the Conference panel on child labour, scheduled for Wednesday, 11 June, Mr. Quest’s panellists will include Mr. Nick Weatherill, Executive Director of the International Cocoa Initiative (which was set up to investigate this issue), Dr. Francis Baah, Manager of the Ghana Cocoa Board, and Mr. Benjamin Smith, the senior officer at the International Labour Organization looking at the problem.
Full details of the second edition of the World Cocoa Conference, which is scheduled to hear from 90 speakers and panellists on numerous cocoa topics over five days, are available at the event website www.worldcocoaconference.org.
You can download the latest edition of the Conference brochure here.
London, 23 May 2014 — The International Cocoa Organization in mid-May was presented with the 2014 grand prize of the Academie Française du Chocolat et de la Confiserie (the French Chocolate and Confectionery Academy).
At a ceremony held in Paris on 13 May, Academy president Xavier Conraux presented this year’s prize to the ICCO’s Director of Economics Laurent Pipitone.
The Academy, which comprises 40 elected members from a number of fields linked by a love and concern for chocolate and confectionery, presents its award annually to individuals and organizations that have assisted in the advance of standards in these areas.
The Academy said that the awarding of the prize recognised the work of the ICCO over many years, and in particular praised the Organization’s creation of the World Cocoa and Chocolate Day, which takes place annually on 1 October.
World Cocoa and Chocolate Day was established to draw public attention to the contribution of cocoa producers in the chocolate industry chain.
The especially dedicated day was initiated as the result of a decision by the members of the International Cocoa Council at their meeting in Berlin in 2008.
Pictured: Academy president Xavier Conraux (left) presents Laurent Pipitone of the ICCO with the 2014 prize (photo by Éric Bernard)
London, 8 May 2014 — The second edition of the World Cocoa Conference, due to take place in Amsterdam’s RAI Convention Centre next month, will bring together a dazzling array of speakers, presenters and panellists from all over the world.
Among them are Ministers from host country the Netherlands, from Ghana and Ecuador, top executives from the world’s most important cocoa and chocolate industry corporations, senior government officials from the major cocoa producing and consuming countries, cocoa farmers and their representatives from a wide range of origins, and a large number of NGOs, research and educational bodies, along with speakers whose expertise ranges from the development of the world’s chocolate markets to the effective financing of cocoa farming.
The Conference, set for 9 – 13 June, will look at the progress of governments and industry in addressing the issues identified at the first Conference, attended by over 1,000 delegates in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire in 2012.
As a result, the Amsterdam edition of the Conference will look at topics including value distribution from the farm to the chocolate bar, efforts to eradicate the worst forms of child labour, improving productivity, attracting a new generation of cocoa farmers, protecting the diversity of cocoa, adding value to cocoa at origin, managing the supply deficit, promoting consumption in emerging markets and food safety issues, among many others.
The Keynote Presentation, to be made by ICCO Executive Director Dr. Jean-Marc Anga, is titled ‘How to Improve Cocoa Farmers’ Incomes’ and that theme runs through the Conference as one of the most important issues in the sector today.
The Conference, kindly hosted by the Government of the Netherlands, will be supplemented by an adjacent trade Exhibition, where some of the most important organizations in the sector will display their products and services.
Also taking place at the RAI will be a series of interactive lunchtime sessions on cocoa topics organized by well-known Dutch-based stakeholders including IDH, the Royal Tropical Institute and Solidaridad.
Conference delegates and guests will also be gathering at a number of social events both on and off the premises, highlighted by a Conference Dinner at the 17th Century Maritime Museum in the heart of the city.
To take advantage of Amsterdam’s status as the world’s top port and processing centre for cocoa, a number of site visits and sightseeing tours will also take place.
Welcome assistance for the Conference is being provided by sponsors and donors, including industry leaders Cargill, Mars, ADM Cocoa, Barry Callebaut, Mondelēz, Afreximbank, Olam, ProEcuador, and Syngenta and by BASF, Bayer Crop Science, Bühler, The Hershey Company, Filhet-Allard Maritime, Tradin Organic, StoPak and IDH.
The dedicated website for the World Cocoa Conference–where you can register online as a delegate and get information about sponsorship, exhibiting, travel to Amsterdam and accommodation–is at www.worldcocoaconference.org.
