The cost for farmers of complying with cocoa sustainability certifications
Attempting to comply with the numerous levels of certification imposed on farmers, suppliers, and producers in terms of cost and bureaucracy has been described as ‘administration hell’ by one cocoa cooperative director, who spends up to 80% of his time on administration instead of replanting, cultivating and caring for plots. In some cases, almost 20% of annual budgets is swallowed up by having to conform to various certification standards, and the scenario is only going to get worse with the impending EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), ConfectioneryNews has learned.